And We're All Alright
by MyVampireBunny
Summary: It's mid-October when Blaine and Sebastian find him.  He's a bruised, bloody mess, and his nose is a bit crooked, although they don't know what from.  Blaine has to help him because that's just what Blaine does. And the rest is history.
1. Prologue

**AN: **Presenting my first ever Glee fic! With a dash of Sebastian, a bit of angst, and a whooole lotta love!

**Prologue: **Courage

It's mid-October when Blaine and Sebastian find him. He's a bruised, bloody mess, and his nose is a bit crooked, although they don't know what from. His back is up against the wall as he cries into his knees, and the whole of his body is shaking from the force of his sobs.

The boy doesn't look up – not once. Not when Sebastian shrieks in surprise, not when Blaine shouts out "call 911!" as loud as his lungs will allow, not when both boys speak animatedly into one phone, not even when Blaine runs his fingers down the boy's spine in the hopes of providing comfort.

"He's like a baby bird, Blaine," Sebastian says. "We _have_ to take care of him!"

Blaine rolls his eyes. "He's not a pet, Seb. We can't just keep him."

There are sirens in the distance, so Blaine pulls the boy into his arms, trying his best to calm him down.

"What's your name?" Blaine whispers, and of course there's no answer, but he had hoped.

"Blaine, I see the ambulance!" So, Sebastian starts waving his arms, but all Blaine can see is the boy.

"You'll be safe, soon. They'll wrap up your cuts and everything." Maybe talking to him like he would a child isn't the proper way to go about it, but the whole care-taker role is new to him, and he just wants to take the pain away.

Soon enough, though, two men are running from out of the ambulance with a stretcher between them, and it all seems a bit melodramatic, but Blaine doesn't care as long as the boy gets help. "His name?" one of them asks.

"He wouldn't tell me," Blaine responds, unable to keep his eyes off of the boy as he shakes his head at the stretcher.

"Do you think you can walk?" the other man asks. He smiles sweetly at the boy, and something unfamiliar twists in Blaine's stomach.

For a moment, the boy looks about to speak, but a new sob rips through and all he can do is nod.

"Alright, alright," the man sighs. Gently, he grabs the boy's hands and helps him up. "It's gonna be okay."

Sebastian puts his hand on Blaine's shoulder as the pair walk away.

The lone paramedic casts them a curious glance. "The police will want to speak with you when we get to the hospital, so you'll have to come along. Why don't you hop in the back? Kid looks like he needs the company."

Blaine doesn't hesitate, dragging Sebastian along with him on the way to the back of the ambulance. "I'll call my parents when we get there, okay? Don't worry!"

Sebastian sighs. "_You're_ the only one worrying here, Blaine. Your face is all pale and everything."

"Whatever you say, Seb."

Then, they're in the ambulance, and they're all trying to get the boy to talk, but he's stubborn and refuses to do anything but cry and stare at the equipment surrounding him.

The paramedic, who introduces himself to the boy as Avery, doesn't lose his patience and manages to keep on smiling.

He keeps on looking to Blaine and Sebastian for help, but Blaine doesn't think he can do any better, and Sebastian is just helpless in general when it comes to these kinds of things.

"We don't have to say long, Seb," Blaine whispers. "We'll tell the cops what we know, and then my mom will take us home. I just…I just want to make sure he's alright, first."

Sebastian raises his eyebrows. "Getting attached, are we?"

His cheeks flush at the statement, although he's not entirely sure as to why. "He's like a baby bird, remember? We can't just leave him like this. Whoever did this must have been a pretty cruel breed of person."

"Hmm. Please tell me you're not hoping to track down the bastards who did this to him? No offense, Blaine…"

"Will you two hush?" Avery asks, smiling as he does so. He nods towards the boy, who is no longer crying quite so hard. "No need to get the kid all excited."

Blaine looks up, but regrets the decision almost instantly.

Because this boy's eyes are the prettiest blue he's ever seen and, in the dark, it was impossible to see just how fair and handsome he actually is.

Plus, the bruises crawling across his jaw and through the cuts in his shirt are so much worse than Blaine had first though. There's dried blood cracked around his nose, and his lip is still leaking fresh crimson from a ragged cut.

When Sebastian throws an arm around his shoulder, he welcomes the chance to turn away. _Why would anyone want to hurt him? He's just so delicate looking. Like porcelain…_

He doesn't like that simile.

Because porcelain breaks.

And already, the thought of anything more happening to this boy scares the hell out of him.

* * *

><p>Blaine watches the policeman walk away with sore, tired eyes.<p>

It took an hour for the officer to show up, and even longer for his and Sebastian's questioning.

His mother sits beside him, watching him with a disapproving frown as he sips at his cheap, low-grade coffee. Sebastian holds his left hand, squeezing it reassuringly every now and then. He doesn't mind the comfort.

Because the image of the boy still haunts him.

"You'll be up all night," his mother scolds gently, just before taking the cup to take a swig herself. "Goodness, this is _disgusting_!"

He smiles, but it's half-hearted.

"Look honey, I know you're upset, but I'm sure this boy – _whoever_ he is – will be just fine! He's in good hands now, sweetheart."

"I know but…"

"_Blaine_," she cuts him off. "This is _not _your problem, okay? What happened to him is a real shame, but it's not your fault."

"Agreed!" Sebastian chirps. "I know you want to check on him…"

"We are _not_ leaving this hospital until I've seen, with my own eyes, that his boy is in perfect health!" he snaps in turn, made irritable by the late hour and his throbbing head.

No one seems to blame him, although they do seem a bit put-out by his aggression.

"Mr. Anderson?" A small woman with grey hair and tired eyes steps before him, smiling cautiously. "He's up and his family's gone off for a snack. I'm afraid you don't have _too_ much time but…"

Before she can finish, he pushes past her and heads off down the hallway he saw the nurse leading the boy down earlier. His palms are a bit sweaty, and his heart is beating a bit faster, but the pain in his skull has somewhat receded.

When he reaches the room, he pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts. If it's been a long night for himself, then he can't even begin to image how the other boy is feeling. Blaine just wants his name. That's all.

"Blaine, right?"

He jumps a bit as the voice washes over his senses, musical and high-pitched in a way that wouldn't work on anyone _but_ him. The room starts to spin, but Blaine can blame it on cheap coffee and sleep deprivation.

"How'd you know?"

The boy smiles, and maybe it doesn't reach his eyes, but it's still one of the most beautiful things Blaine's ever seen. "The cops wanted to make sure I knew the name of my savior. My knight in shining armor and all that."

Blaine nods, unable to form words.

Already, the boy looks _so_ much better. His cuts are all cleaned up – the blood washed away just enough to reveal fresh patches of creamy skin. His eyes are rimmed red from crying so hard, but at least the tears are gone.

"Are you okay?" the boy asks. "You look a little lost."

Blaine takes a deep, steadying breath, but it does little to snub the sudden spark of anger that comes with the knowledge that another _person_ actually did this to the boy. A human being who was _supposed_ to have morals.

"Look," he stars, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back on the balls of his feet. "I don't know you well enough to ask questions, and I guess it's too late to help but…" Looking around, he practically lunges for the small pad of paper and pen at the boy's bedside table. Scribbling his cell number down quickly, he mumbles, "If anyone ever tries something like this again, I want you to call me. I might not know your name…"

"Kurt," the boy says quickly. "I-I'm Kurt."

Something about the name makes Blaine smile. "Well, Kurt, if…if you need to talk, call me, okay? Or text me. Or…whatever"

And he doesn't want to leave.

He wants to stay all night just to make sure that the boy – _Kurt_ – is okay.

But they don't _know_ each other. They're perfect strangers thrown into the oddest of situations by fate's hand.

He can't stay.

He doesn't have the right.

Kurt takes the offered paper with shaking fingers, and Blaine's heart practically shatters to pieces right there.

Slowly, after their fingers brush, he leans until his lips are by Kurt's ear. "_Courage_, Kurt. Just have Courage."


	2. Of IceCream and Insanity

**AN: **Wow I'm surprising myself, here. I actually enjoyed writing this!  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>I will forever be waiting for the day when Glee belongs to me, but, as of now, it does not.

* * *

><p><strong>Of IceCream and Insanity<strong>

Blaine's staring straight ahead, eyes on the road even as he taps along to _Teenage Dream_. His fingers effortlessly move to the rhythm, proof to the fact that it's his favorite song. Sebastian sits in the passenger seat, rolling his eyes but smiling regardless.

"You really are one of a kind, Anderson," he chuckles, reaching over to pat his friend's back.

In turn, Blaine smiles. "You know you love me, Seb."

"Hmm. _Whatever you say_…"

"Oh, _please_, Sebastian! What would your life be without me? Boring, uneventful, _dreary_!"

"Don't get cocky, now."

"_Never_!"

Sebastian prefers it when Blaine's like this – all care-free and so happy that it can really only _be_ contagious. After the whole finding-a-boy-on-the-street fiasco, his friend has been out of it, so it's nice to see him in such a good mood.

"May I ask what's got you so happy?"

The shorter boy rolls his shoulders nonchalantly, making a strange face before chuckling quietly to himself. "First off, I'm working off of about two hours of sleep. Second, I'm just happy to be getting back to Dalton. Not that I don't like being back with my mom, but she's so over-protective sometimes that it's hard to breathe. You know how she is."

Sebastian nods slowly, suddenly doubting the decision to let Blaine drive.

This weekend, they'd both gone to Blaine's mom's house (which was technically Blaine's _parents'_ house, but it wasn't like the second half of that equation was ever around). It was meant to be a relaxing weekend, and, in many ways, it was – the only interruption being the one two days earlier.

Still, Sebastian regrets the decision to go shopping so late that Friday night.

_Excluding the fact that he and Blaine got to share a changing room at least twice that day._

"Seb?"

Jerked from his thoughts, Sebastian jumps the slightest bit in his seat. "What was that again? Sorry."

Blaine shoves his phone in Sebastian's face, smiling goofily while he does so. "I asked if you could call my mom? My driving's already pretty shaky just from being tired. Wouldn't want to crash us with only one hand on the wheel! Reckless driving isn't really my thing, and she wants me to call and let her know when we're an hour away. Like I said, _over-protective_."

Sebastian can't help but smile, suddenly deciding that he likes over-tired Blaine.

"Sure thing, babe."

Blaine only chuckles at the nickname.

For the next ten minutes, the only things heard are the low hum of Katy Perry in the background and Sebastian's voice as he speaks animatedly with Blaine's mom about redecorating his and Blaine's room back at the Academy. "Yah, yah, I was thinking blue, too, but Blaine wants to stick with red because he's so Dalton traditional, ya know?"

It gives Blaine some time to think about some of the things that he's been avoiding since waking up that morning.

About Kurt, really.

He still can't forget that face, those eyes, that voice.

Longingly, he casts his phone a glance, only to have Sebastian smile and nod at him before making to end the call with Blaine's mom. As he should have expected, the boy hadn't made to either call or text him, just ignore him.

Blaine supposes he wouldn't have done anything differently. He was, after all, just another stranger.

Just another person in a world full of others.

* * *

><p><em>Courage.<em>

_Courage, Kurt._

_Courage._

Kurt wakes with a start, arms jerking and right hand knocking his alarm clock clear off the nightstand. For a moment, he can only lie there, still as stone as if to not to disturb the quiet. His heart is racing, so much so that he's sure everyone else in the house can hear it. He doesn't like this feeling – the one that pervades every single inch of his body and makes it damn near impossible to breathe.

When it's clear that the whole thing was a dream, he lets his body relax and bends over the mattress to retrieve the clock, noting with a sense of dread that it's only thirteen minutes past two in the morning.

And it's the third time he's woken up like this – covered in sweat and shaking like it's somewhere below freezing.

If he doesn't get some sleep soon, he may very well just lose it.

Of course, there's no way he's going to school tomorrow, but that doesn't make his rest any less important. If he loses too much of it, people may grow suspicious when they start noticing him dragging his feet around and yawning obnoxiously in the middle of class.

It's happened before.

Somehow, he has to find a way to make the nightmares stop.

Although tonight's was less violent, he realizes. It wasn't even scary until the very last moment, when he was back in the hospital with…with _Blaine_, and the same group of boy's from earlier that night were suddenly behind him and…

Before he can finish the memory, he rolls out of bed and heads for the kitchen.

Usually, he's not one for late-night snacks. He knows how easy it is to make it a habit, but tonight's an exception.

If ice-cream can make it better, then who's he to complain?

Sighing against the spoon, he takes the time to contemplate less troubling things, like Blaine.

For whatever reason, thinking of Blaine makes him feel better. It's not like they know each other – not like they'll ever meet again or become friends or whatever, but the curly-haired boy's smile is just what Kurt needs after Friday's disaster. He keeps replaying the hospital scene over and over again in his head, hoping to never have to let it go for the sake of keeping his sanity.

He doesn't care to question it, and it doesn't even really bother him that Blaine never texted back. It was silly for him to expect anything more; it wasn't like he was actually in trouble – he had just hoped for a bit of interaction that didn't come from either his family or the glee club.

He takes another, larger bite of ice cream before groaning softly and letting his head fall into his hands.

_This is gonna be one hell of a week._

* * *

><p>The following morning, Blaine is sitting at the edge of Sebastian's bed, humming something Sebastian's sure is Katy Perry-related. "Good morning, sleepy head!" he chirps, reaching forward to ruffle his friend's sleep-crazy hair. "Sleep well?"<p>

Sebastian rubs his tired eyes and groans as the sunlight streaming through the other-wise closed curtains practically blinds him. "Blaine? What the hell? What time is it?"

"Time for you to wake-up!"

He rolls his eyes. "_Cute_, Blaine. Now, what time is it really? Not everyone's a morning person."

Blaine sighs and turns to face the clock. "It's…six thirty."

"_What_? Blaine, what is _wrong _with you? I don't have to be up for another_ hour_!"

The shorter boy starts nervously playing with Sebastian's blanket, pouting faintly as his brows furrow. "I just didn't want to be alone."

Something about that voice makes Sebastian smile. "Damn it, I can't stay mad at you like that! Now, come here." He reaches forward, grabs Blaine's hand, and pulls him closer. "Let's just lay down, alright? Maybe you'll sleep better if we share a bed."

"I never said I couldn't sleep…"

"Whatever you say, Blaine."

Nevertheless, Blaine crawls beneath the covers, oblivious to Sebastian's warmth but thankful for the contact, anyway. He never liked to be alone.

He never liked losing sleep, either, but he guesses that life isn't fair and closes his eyes, just happy enough to let his thoughts stray towards blue eyes and a voice like music.

He almost falls asleep.

Almost.

* * *

><p>Blaine and Sebastian sit alone at breakfast that morning. Nick, Jeff, and Wes are off working on Warbler-related business, and Sebastian doesn't really like or know anyone else. Besides, he likes it better when it's just the two of them.<p>

"So, sleep well?" Sebastian asks for at _least_ the hundredth time that morning, sipping at his coffee as nonchalantly as possible and looking at a point over Blaine's shoulder as he does his best not to smile.

Blaine's eyes roll, as per usual when he's annoyed at Sebastian. "I'm fine, Seb. Stop trying to get into my head."

Sebastian pouts. "Is it wrong for me to worry about my best friend? I've known you long enough now to realize that when you're not getting sleep, something's bugging you. So, what is it? Family troubles? _Boy_ trouble? Oh, please tell me it's a boy! I love giving advice!"

Of course, Blaine can't help but chuckle. "You know, for a best friend, you sure know how to get on my nerves."

"Oh, please. What would you do without me, hmm?"

"Live a normal life?"

"Blaine, your words hurt." For emphasis, Sebastian slapps his hand over his heart. "Now, why don't you tell me what's up so that I don't have to keep guessing."

"Nothing's _up_. I'm fine."

"You're not even eating. Look at you! Playing with your food! Yet _another_ sign of distress!"

"I swear to God, you're insane."

Sebastian's voice drops the slightest bit when he says, "But you like it." Because Blaine is Blaine, he doesn't notice and continues poking at his cereal, completely unaware of the way Sebastian watches him like a lion would a gazelle.

He just drops his head against his palm and tries not to think too hard about what can't be changed.

* * *

><p>"Uhm…Kurt?"<p>

"Yes, _Finn_?" Kurt drawls, lifting his head from where it was very recently resting comfortably against his arms.

"Why are you sleeping in our kitchen? With a whole bunch of melted ice cream?"

Kurt eyes the half-eaten container with a look of barely contained disgust. "Because I felt like it, Finn." He stretches his arms above his head, glaring at his step-brother as the taller boy looks around in confusion. "Something on your mind?"

"I just…Why not sleep in your _bed_?"

He rolls his shoulders. "Didn't feel like it, I guess."

Finn's eyes narrow in suspicion. "Is everything alright? I mean, obviously things aren't _alright_…" He motions with his hands to the cuts across his brother's face. "But, I mean, _mentally_. Is everything alright up here?" He taps his pointer finger against Kurt's forehead.

"Calling me stupid?" And it's meant to throw the conversation, but Finn isn't always as stupid as people would like to believe.

"No, I'm asking if you're _okay_."

There are so many words at the tip of Kurt's tongue. Words like _no, I'm not_ and _but it's not for the reason you think_. Words that rhyme with _rain_ and start with the letter 'b'.

"Honestly, Finn, I'm fine." He bites his lip and draws a finger across the countertop. "Can I ask you a question, though?"

A bit apprehensively, Finn nods. "I'll do my best to answer honestly!"

Kurt smiles. "What do you do when you can't get something out of your head?"

Finn cocks his head to the side and bites his bottom lip. "Depends on what it is, I guess."

"Let's just say, for hypothetical purposes, that it's a _person_."

"Well…" His fingers start tapping a crazy little rhythm against the counter. "Usually, when I want to forget about a person, I sing. Still, I don't really think it's possible to _forget_ a person, you know? People leave, like, marks behind…or something. If you want to forget a person, I think, then the chances of forgetting them just grow that much smaller. Does…does that even make sense?"

Seeming to take it into consideration, Kurt nods slowly, eyes trained on a point over Finn's shoulder. "I hate how smart you can be, sometimes."

"What's that supposed to mean? Isn't being smart a good thing?"

They both chuckle, and it's in moments like these that Kurt silently thanks his father for falling in love with such an amazing woman and giving him the chance to have her equally- as- amazing son as a brother.

"Yah, Finn, it is."

And as Finn moves towards the fridge for breakfast, Kurt tosses the ice cream container into the trash bin, silently admonishing himself for ever eating the damned dairy product in the first place.

"Morning, Kurt!" Carole sings, shuffling towards the kitchen tiredly and smiling sweetly. Pecking him on the cheek, she asks if he slept well.

Finn snorts in the corner, but Kurt ignores it and rolls his eyes. "Well enough, thank you. You?"

Yawning, she shrugs her shoulders. "I'm always tired, ya know?" She chuckles lightly and moves past him, where she kisses Finn and grabs for the coffee maker. "I guess that's just what happens when I have you two boys to keep up with."

* * *

><p>To be honest, Blaine doesn't know why he does it.<p>

It's stupid, really.

A disaster just waiting to happen.

And he knows it.

Every part of his being is aware of how silly this is – to be looking for a boy who probably doesn't even remember him. To be searching for_ the _boy. The one with the blue, blue eyes and pale-as-the-moon skin and lips like rose petals and…

Still, these thoughts don't still his fingers as he types the name of that very same boy into the search engine.

As it loads, he closes his eyes and buries his head in his hands. "_This is insane_."


	3. Holding Out for a Hero

**AN: **Another chapter up!:) Just so you know, I _heavily_ encourage reviewing;) (Seriously though reviewers get cookies ehem)  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Still, Glee does not belong to me. And the song used here belongs to the makers of _Footloose_ and Ella Mae Bowen.

* * *

><p><strong>Holding Out for a Hero<strong>

Blaine doesn't know why he's here.

Doesn't know why he drove all this way, doesn't know why he snuck past the people in the front office, doesn't know why he's watching a group of kids his age as they talk amongst themselves while their teacher does something at the front of the room, doesn't know why he can't keep his eyes off of the boy sitting in the back – the one with the barely-there bruises and scabbed cuts.

He wishes he hadn't come.

He wishes he had the strength just to mind his own _god damned business_.

But he was never very good at that, keeping his own selfish wants in check.

He just couldn't help himself.

Ever since that night a week ago, he can't get Kurt out of his head. And now, being so close brings everything back – the urge to protect and care for the boy. The strange, knotted _thing_ that twists and turns in his stomach as he does all that he can not to step into that classroom just to say, "Hey, I'm here for you."

It's all so _stupid_.

He's out of his mind.

Kurt doesn't care about him.

They said their _thank-you's_ and their _goodbyes_. If anything, the boy _appreciates_ Blaine, but doesn't _like_ him – doesn't need him. His life will go on just as it would _without_ Blaine.

Unless he changes things. Unless he stops being a coward and takes a step or two forward – just enough to make himself visible to the unaware Glee Club members.

"_Kurt_!"

Blaine jumps a bit, caught off guard by the chipper voice of the Glee Club instructor as he holds out hand for the boy.

"Ready for your solo?"

_Solo_?

Kurt was going to…

He was going to…

And Blaine will get to _hear _it?

This really can't be happening. Obviously, he's dreaming. _Obviously_.

But that doesn't scare him away. Because even if it's all a dream, at least it's _Kurt_.

So, the boy stands up, and Blaine notices the way his hands shake. Stage fright? Doubtful. Something about Kurt makes that impossible to believe, like he was made for things like this.

The teacher seems to notice but says nothing as he steps aside, making way for the boy with the broken eyes, his own eyes watching with the careful patience of someone used to broken people. "Whenever you're ready, Kurt."

Kurt nods but stares ahead at the floor, ignoring the hopeful and eager expressions of his fellow Glee-clubbers. He waves his hand and a man sitting behind him, previously unseen by Blaine, starts strumming away on his guitar.

Blaine swears to God he's never heard anything so beautiful – so _pure_. So heartbreaking.

His heart hits the floor and the rest is just history.

_Where have all the good men gone  
>And where are all the gods?<br>Where's the street-wise Hercules  
>To fight the rising odds?<br>Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?  
>Late at night I toss and turn and dream<br>of what I need_

_I need a hero  
>I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night<br>He's gotta be strong  
>And he's gotta be fast<br>And he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
><em>  
><em>I need a hero<br>I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light  
>He's gotta be sure<br>And it's gotta be soon  
>And he's gotta be larger than life<em>

His feet, he swears, move of their own accord. He can't really blame them, though. Anything to be closer to that voice.

_Somewhere after midnight  
>In my wildest fantasy<br>Somewhere just beyond my reach  
>There's someone reaching back for me<br>Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat  
>It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet<em>

_Up where the mountains meet the heavens above  
>Out where the lightning splits the sea<br>I could swear that there's someone somewhere  
>Watching me<em>

_Through the wind and the chill and the rain_  
><em>And the storm and the flood<em>  
><em>I can feel his approach<em>  
><em>Like the fire in my blood<em>

It's on the last note that their eyes meet.

It's on the last note that Blaine realizes that it can't possibly be a dream because the force that pulses through his veins is just too damned strong.

It's on the last note that he can't help but smile because he's all of a sudden _so_ determined to make this boy happy.

"Kurt," he nods, still smiling even as that last note rings in the air, nearly choking him with its bittersweet beauty. "You sounded…brilliant."

The room is silent as every eye lands on him, including Kurt's.

"Blaine, what are you doing here?" Kurt asks calmly.

Blaine shrugs. "I just wanted to check up on you. You know, make sure you were okay?"

Kurt turns to look at everyone, but they all turn away and pretend that they haven't been staring the second they saw Blaine step into the room.

He cocks his head to the side and sighs. "Let's go outside, Blaine. I think we need to talk."

So, Blaine follows.

They're somewhere in the hallway when Kurt spins around and there's fire in his eyes. "You can't just _drop in_, Blaine! You can't just _stroll_ in here, all nonchalant and _smiling_, wanting to check up on me! It just – _you_ can't just _do_ that around here!"

Blaine doesn't understand, but his confusion doesn't stop the small, inevitable sting that comes with knowing that Kurt doesn't want him here. "Why not?"

"Because people don't _know_, okay? They don't know about what happened, and seeing you here might just make them think…" He trails off with an agitated sigh before shaking his head and mumbling something under his breath.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I don't regret coming here to check on you. I saw the way you were that night and…I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. Not everyone knows how to bounce back so fast from something like that."

"Like you would know," Kurt snaps, and there's so much venom in his voice that Blaine can feel the poision in his veins.

"Actually, I would." His voice is low, almost a whisper. Because, all of a sudden, reality is smacking him across the face.

Again, he realizes that this is not his right – to be talking to Kurt and checking on Kurt and _just making sure that he's okay. _They do not know each other; they are not friends. Just like they were last week, they're still strangers. Nothing has changed. Kurt never called or texted Blaine – will probably _never_ call or text Blaine.

"_Right_," Kurt hisses, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms defensively over his chest. "Look, Blaine, I appreciate what you did for me, and giving me your number was really sweet, but you _cannot_ drag this here – not in front of my friends. Not ever again."

Blaine can only nod, if not a bit sadly. After hearing Kurt's song, he had been so _hopeful_, so high on his own misguided happiness. He doesn't know why_ Kurt_ – a stranger in nearly every right – does this to him; drives him crazy.

He guesses it all falls back on that silly want to take care of something broken, to fix it until it works like new again. All he wanted was to fix Kurt, to make him better. But, in the end, he doesn't know if anything's actually wrong with the boy. Maybe he's always quiet – shy, even. Maybe Blaine's not good at first impressions and got it _all_ wrong.

Still…

His feet don't carry him away like they should.

He doesn't want to leave.

"Why won't you tell your friends what happened, Kurt? Does _anyone_ know?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't see how that's any of _your_ business."

Frustration floods Blaine's senses, but he doesn't let it show through. He's pretty good at that, actually. Keeping his temper under control. "I was the one that found you, remember? I-I _saw_ you…"

He thinks Kurt should understand. He doesn't want to believe that he's wrong when he's been agonizing over this boy for _days_.

He takes a step closer. "Kurt, I'm not leaving. I'm not walking out those doors until I know that you're okay. And maybe that's crazy, maybe that makes _me_ crazy, but I can't help worrying about you! You didn't even text me just to say that you were okay, and I know that's not what I asked for but _still_…"

"I did."

Blaine's a little lost. "What?"

"I texted you – on Sunday. You just didn't get it, I guess." Kurt looks away like he can't stay mad if he doesn't.

"Kurt, I…I honestly didn't…"

"It doesn't matter. Either way, I don't want you here. I can't have my friends drawing conclusions. They're not as dumb as they look."

His voice is so rough with emotion that Blaine actually flinches, and it's like his heart is falling out of his mouth when he says, "Fine, I'll leave, but you're calling me tonight. You're calling me tonight or I'm coming back here on Monday and every day after that until you finally decide to talk to me."

If he's being honest with himself, he sounds more like a stalker than a concerned almost-stranger, but he's willing to live with it as long as this isn't the last time he sees Kurt.

Kurt rolls his eyes, but his lips pulls back the slightest bit, and it's all Blaine needs to leave without a heavy heart. "You sure are stubborn, huh?"

Blaine smiles, breathing a sigh of relief. "I just care too much, that's all."

"That's not always a good thing, you know."

He angles his head, and it feels to Blaine like he's being inspected for flaws, but he doesn't flinch and keeps his smile, although it falters a bit. "So, you'll call me then?"

Their eyes meet, but Kurt breaks the contact before it can really mean anything. "Is this usually how you make friends? By _stalking_ them?"

"Not usually, no, but I'm willing to work outside of my comfort zone every now and then."

The boy chuckles lightly, and it really is no wonder that Blaine can't stop thinking about him. "Fine, fine, I'll _call_ you! Now, do me a favor and _leave_ before people start growing suspicious!"

And Kurt's pushing at his back, and it's strange how they've gone from angry to hurt to happy, but he doesn't question it and let's himself go, his feet carrying him when Kurt stops pushing and turns back with a quick "goodbye" tossed over his shoulder.

Ducking his head so as to not be seen by the woman in the front office, Blaine can't help but smile.

Because maybe, just _maybe_, he and Kurt can be friends.

* * *

><p>Sebastian rolls over with a groan, rubbing his eyes in order to adjust them to the sudden burst of light coming from the open door. Blaine closes it quickly, smiling sheepishly and whispering <em>sorry, sorry, sorry<em> under his breath.

"And where in the hell were _you_?" Sebastian asks, sitting up and frowning.

Blaine smiles in such a way that says he won't really tell, and maybe he seems a bit guilty, but Sebastian's tired and doesn't have the time to deal with this. "Seriously, Blaine, I'm _not_ in the mood. Either tell me or…"

"Alright, _hush_!" he hisses, although he's still smiling and it's all Sebastian can do not to groan into his pillow because_ damn_, that smile! "I just went to see someone for a little bit, that's all! I grabbed some dinner and shopped around a bit, but I didn't buy anything because I spent all my money on dinner so…"

"_Woah_. First of all, you're rambling, which means you're keeping something from me. Second of all, I'm _pretty_ sure you're trying to hide the name of whoever it is that you went to see. Now _spill_."

"No, no, no," Blaine mumbles, waving his hands and spinning around in circles in an attempt to find some clean – or at least not horribly dirty – pajamas. "You go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"You're only saying that because you think I'll _forget_ by morning."

Blaine stops long enough to smile warmly at his friend. "Not at all, Seb! Now, do me a favor and get some sleep, okay? I hate when you're grumpy."

Sebastian sits on it for a moment, allowing himself to enjoy watching Blaine frantically searching the dark room, only to give up and flop on his mattress, still clad in jeans and a sweater. Finally, he decides that it doesn't matter either way and allows himself to fall asleep, forgetting all about whoever it is that's taking up Blaine's time when he's not around.

* * *

><p>"That's the third time you've spilled something this morning, Kurt," Burt mumbles, bending over to help his son with the mess of coffee-soaked paper towels. "Is everything alright?"<p>

"Yah, yah, just fine," he replies distractedly. He's heading for his sixth cup of coffee when Finn stops him, eyeing him warily.

"Dude, I think you need to slow down."

"Oh, shut up, Finn. I'm just thirsty…"

"Then drink water."

"Really, son, too much coffee and…"

"Alright, alright!" Kurt makes a point of tossing his mug in the sink, not even wincing when it crashes. Everyone in the room watches him, but Carole's the only one smiling as she sips at her own glass of coffee. "Ready to leave, Finn?"

"Uhm, we still have, like, twenty minutes before we need to go."

"Well, it's cold, so I guess I'll just go warm the car up…or something."

And so he stalks out of the kitchen, grabs his coat and bag, and slams the door behind him. He doesn't mean to act so distant, and he hates himself for being so, but he can't control the nervous butterflies or the caffeine high, and it's all a little too much to handle right now.

_Courage, Kurt. Courage._

It's a little scary how heavily he depends on a stranger's words to give him comfort.

It's a little scary how much he needs said stranger.

It's a little scary how his fingers are fucking _shaking_ as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.

It's absolutely terrifying when he lets out a shriek of surprised excitement because there, _right fucking there_, is Blaine's name, all lit up and Kurt literally can't breathe.

He wasn't expecting much when he texted Blaine earlier that morning. Maybe nothing, like last time. Maybe a quick _hey_ in response before it was all over and they never spoke again. But _this_ – this is exactly what he wanted but was too afraid to hope for.

_Kurt? Seriously? You TEXTED ME? I'm so happy you don't even know:D_

It's a little strange – surely not was he was expecting – but it makes Kurt laugh because, for some reason, it _fits_ the boy.

His fingers shake over the keys before he finally decides to text back.

_You're welcome:)_

* * *

><p>When Sebastian wakes up, Blaine's staring at him.<p>

"Seriously, Blaine, what's _up_ with you lately?"

"Did you delete my text from Kurt on Sunday?"

"Uh…what?"

"I gave Kurt – you know, the kid we found? – my number, and apparently he texted me on Sunday, but I never got it. I've checked my inbox, like, fifty times, too. So, either he's lying or you deleted it."

"Sorry, Blaine, but I really don't know what you're talking about. When was the last time you got a decent night's sleep? I'm really beginning to worry about you."

"Just tell me, Seb. I won't be mad."

Sebastian sighs and buries his head in his pillow. _Of course_ he deleted it, but only because he knew what was right for Blaine. Communicating with a stranger? _Not_ right. "Alright, _fine_. But I only did it because I was worried for you! Already, you're a crazy insomniac, and ever since that kid came around, you've been just plain _crazy_! I just thought…I thought I was looking out for you." His voice goes soft at the end, and it's so classic Sebastian that Blaine can almost stay mad.

_Almost_.

"Well…thanks for looking out for me, I guess. But, you don't need to worry because he's actually a really nice guy."

There's some part of Sebastian that pushes him to ask why, but he doesn't because he's already gone too far and this is _Blaine_. "Alright, alright. Enough talk. I gotta get ready. How in the hell are you already dressed, by the way?"

Blaine shrugs. "Crazy insomniac, remember?"

Later on, in the middle of breakfast, he'll jump out of his seat and shove his phone in Sebastian's face. "He texted back, Seb! He _actually_ texted back!"

And Sebastian will grow even more worried.

Because it's Blaine.

And Blaine is _his_.


	4. Pizza Party

**AN: **blah:P This one took a while...  
>BUT, on the plus side, I let myself sit down and work up an outline, so the chapters should come out a little faster!<p>

Ohohohohoh! And just so you know, this story _is_ AU. In the sense that, along with Kurt and Blaine meeting under entirely different circumstances, Mercedes and Sam never broke up, Rachel and Finn never fought/broke up, and certain characters will come across as OOC (although, as far as I have planned, none of the main ones that we all already know and love:P)

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own Glee, I'm afraid.

* * *

><p><strong>Pizza Party<strong>

_I really like the color blue. It's actually a very pretty color. How come I never liked it before?_

Blaine turns over tiredly, snuggling against his pillow with a slight smile on his face. His eyes are closed, but he's not foolish enough to believe that he'll be falling asleep anytime soon. This is how it works, the whole insomnia thing. He'll be lucky if he gets an hour of sleep tonight.

But that's okay.

Because he likes to think. About the world, about school, about Sebastian, about Warbler's practice, about new songs he wants to learn, about blue eyes and voice that _obviously_ came from an angel.

It's funny – how often he thinks of Kurt. There's not much between them, just a late Friday night and some smiley faces, but those things _comfort_ him.

It's similar to how he felt after he first started talking to Sebastian. _Whole_. Only, this time, there are warm fuzzies and butterflies and it's really not funny how much he depends on a text from a near-stranger living two and a half hours away.

They haven't talked on the phone yet, and Blaine was a little disappointed when he realized that they probably wouldn't reach that stage of the friendship for a while. Their discussions through text were still a little shaky, like they were testing the water rather than diving right in. And he kind of likes that, but he can't help wishing for more.

He turns so that he's facing Sebastian, and remembers how close they were when they were growing up as awkward pre-teens. As he often does, he wonders what a world without his best friend would be like, and he doesn't like it.

As cocky and arrogant and obnoxious as the boy can be, he was still the one who fought for Blaine when they were growing up. The one who knocked down all the bullies and scared away all the haters. Of course, he couldn't shield Blaine from _everything_, but he had done what he could and that was all Blaine had ever wanted.

Soon enough, they were sharing secrets and having sleep-overs, and maybe they were a little old, but that didn't matter as long as they were together. They lived close enough and their parents were friends, and it was a joke between the families that they'd grow up and get married, and how coincidental was it that they were_ actually_ gay?

And their families still joked about it (accept for Blaine's father, but Sebastian had never really liked him, anyway), and, sometimes, Blaine dreamt of them growing up and getting married and living together for as long as the world allowed them to.

Until the day Sebastian got his first boyfriend and Blaine realized how _little_ it hurt when he saw them hug or kiss or hold hands down the street.

That's when he realized that he wasn't in love with Sebastian and went on to keep looking for 'the one'.

He hasn't found him. Not yet.

But Sebastian is still his best friend, and he doesn't know what he'd do without him. They rely on each other, and it's hard to think about what will happen when they're done with high school and off to peruse different dreams. They've talked about it briefly, but the conversation always ends because they don't much like thinking about their futures.

Deep down, he knows that, somehow, they'll never _really_ lose each other.

And, don't get him wrong, he _knows_ how Sebastian can be.

He's been there to comfort the exes and let down the ones lead on. He's seen the pain and wiped some of the tears because he's a good person and maybe, in the end, Sebastian's just a little lost. He doesn't know what he wants, and Blaine gets that, but it's a lot harder for everyone else to see it the same.

Sure, Sebastian has a lot of people trailing beside him and drooling over his face and body and…well, Blaine won't lie, he's _hot_, but there isn't much besides dark stares and sex. He doesn't have many _friends_, although it's not like he really wants any. He's close to Blaine and the Warblers and that's all he needs.

And Blaine's happy for him.

But he can't be the same.

He knows what lies beyond Dalton, and he often finds himself dreaming of the perfect man and falling in love and living in the same house and adopting at _least_ four kids and just _living life_.

Which is why the idea of Kurt excites him. He's finally branching away from all that he's known, and it's a little scary and a little exhilarating because _finally_.

Still, he's getting ahead of himself.

There's a while to go before he can really depend so heavily on Kurt, before they can be friends and talk on the phone and visit each other's houses and schools and he _really_ should stop thinking and try to get some sleep because getting his hopes so high won't do him any good.

He still smiles into his pillow before closing his eyes.

* * *

><p>Sebastian's worried. Like, over-the-top-this-can't-be-happening-times-a-thousand <em>worried<em>.

While Blaine's in the bathroom, humming something of his own creation, Sebastian stares at his friend's phone with a look of disgust so intense that he's surprised when it doesn't spontaneously combust.

_Stupid, stupid kid named Kurt with his stupid blue eyes and his stupid soft skin. Blaine doesn't even know what he's getting himself into, here. He wants _me_. Not _Kurt_._

People call him selfish, but he's waited for Blaine for _far_ too long.

Ever since they were small, still growing into their bodies and blushing at the mention of sex or love, he's wanted Blaine. He's known since the moment he first saw Blaine that he's _wanted_ him. In every way imaginable, for as long as physically possible.

And he won't let some pathetic little scrap of _glitter_ take his place.

Nope.

Just not happening.

He's sure that Kurt's a good guy, and he really does feel bad for him after everything he's probably been through, but this is _Blaine_ and Blaine comes first. He can feel bad for stealing the kid's only friend later on.

Right now, it's just him and Blaine.

That's it.

* * *

><p>Kurt's sitting on his bed with Mercedes and Rachel, scrunching his nose a little at the way Rachel actually blushes when Mercedes asks how things are going with Finn. Never in a million years did Kurt dare to think that Rachel Berry even had the <em>ability<em> to blush.

It's cute, though, even if the reason is because of his step-brother, and that's a little weird to think about no matter how you look at it.

"What about Sam?" Rachel asks, and Kurt smiles because he's _really_ happy for Mercedes.

"Aw, you know, still as cute as ever. Last date we went on, he actually kissed me on the _doorstep_. _So_ old school but _totally_ perfect." Her smile is bright as she picks almost nervously at the edge of Kurt's blanket. "What about you, Kurt? You hardly ever talk about boys anymore."

He shrugs and looks away – at anything but the two girls before him. If he makes eye contact, he might spill something about Blaine, but there's nothing there, so why should he?

"Spill," Rachel nearly hisses, and it's a little scary how intimidating she can be sometimes, but Kurt's used to it.

"There's nothing _to_ spill," he mumbles.

"Yah, right," Mercedes says. "I know that look, Kurt. You're hiding something."

"What time is it? Shouldn't you guys be home by now? Doing homework or something?"

"Come on, Hummel!" Rachel throws a pillow at him. "_Tell_ us."

"Seriously, guys," he mumbles. "There's nothing – no _one_."

They exchange a glance, and Kurt gets the chills. "Guys…"

"What's his name?"

"Where does he live?"

"What color hair does he have?"

"What about his eyes? Do you get lost in them?"

"Yah, I get lost in Finn's _all_ of the time."

"Seriously though, Kurt. Is he delicious?"

He stands up and brushes the creases from his pants, and maybe his cheeks are little rosy and maybe his thoughts are straying, but at least he's strong enough not to look at the phone sitting on his desk. "I'll walk you out!"

* * *

><p>Kurt crawls beneath the covers with a heavy sigh, glad to finally relax in bed and get some sleep. His friends are <em>ridiculous<em>, after all. Even on the way out, they were pestering him with simple questions that wouldn't have given anything away but _still_.

He likes the thought of keeping Blaine a secret.

And it's not like they'll understand. Already, he can imagine the look of shock and concern, and he can see his phone being ripped from his possession and thrown out the nearest window.

_That's dangerous, Kurt_, Rachel will say.

_You don't know what he wants with you_, Mercedes will say.

He knows that, though. He _knows_. He knows that it's stupid and maybe a little dangerous, but he can't let go of how nice it feels to have someone away from Glee club. Maybe Blaine isn't as nice as he seems, but Kurt can't let himself believe that and he _won't_.

Besides, Blaine _saved_ him. He didn't put him in that alley with those cuts and those bruises. No, he _saved_ him.

Maybe Kurt puts him on a pedestal for that reason, but he challenges the world to prove that Blaine is anything but honest and kind.

It's a little crazy how he thinks so highly of someone he barely knows.

Still, Kurt's eyes flick towards his phone, and he's smiling as he falls asleep.

* * *

><p>It's at the end of the week when Kurt tries to leave and Burt won't let him.<p>

"Dad, I'll be fine," Kurt huffs, rolling his eyes as his father blocks the door.

"At least take Finn with you," Burt pleads, and his eyes are wide as he nods towards the taller boy standing behind the shorter. "I just need to know that you're safe, that's all."

Looking back at Finn, Kurt sighs and shakes his head. "Fine. Whatever. But we're _not_ bringing Rachel along. This was _supposed_ to be a relaxing night out."

Finn pouts, but grabs his coat without a huff. "Can we stop for pizza first, though? Not that shopping isn't fun and all…"

* * *

><p>"Let's go get some pizza," Sebastian says as soon as he walks into the room, throwing his bag on his bed and grabbing his jacket. "I'm absolutely <em>craving<em> it."

"Seb, I'm in my _pajamas_," Blaine whines, motioning to his ensemble as he closes his book.

"So what? It's just a local pizza place, babe. _Seriously_. Besides, you always look absolutely delectable."

When Blaine blushes, Sebastian's smile turns absolutely _predatory_.

"Fine, fine. Pizza sounds fun."

* * *

><p>"Why are we driving so <em>far<em>?" Finn complains. They're sitting in Kurt's car, blasting Adele because that's what Kurt likes and this is Kurt's car so…

"Because every place that sells pizza around us is just downright _disgusting_."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far. I mean, one time I found a hair on my breadsticks at that one place around the corner, ya know? But it wasn't, like, a weird color or anything."

Kurt rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "Point is: I like _this_ place better. Trust me; you'll love it, too."

"Are you sure? If it's fancy like that place you took our parents for mom's birthday, then I really don't think…"

"Oh, hush, Finn! You'll like it, okay? And then we can go shopping and buy you some new shirts."

The taller boy looks down at his t-shirt, curious. "Dude, what's wrong with my shirts?"

"Hah! _Good_ one, Finn!"

"I…wasn't really _joking_…"

* * *

><p>Even though it's cold, Blaine has the car windows rolled down. He and Sebastian are singing along to <em>Teenage Dream<em>, and it's looking to be a pretty nice Friday night out.

"We can get ice cream, too, right?" Sebastian asks, leaning over to smooth over a curl on his friend's head. "I mean, now I'm kind of craving that, too." His smile would make an angel swoon.

"God _yes_. I've been dying for that pumpkin cheesecake ice cream. It's like _heaven_!"

"Better than heaven, actually."

And the whole while, Sebastian's eyes are on Blaine, and he thinks that maybe tonight's the night he's gonna make his move.

* * *

><p>Kurt doesn't put much faith in fate or destiny or what-have-you. He likes to think that it's all in his control; that <em>he's<em> the one making the decisions and not because every action is burned deep somewhere inside of him. But when it happens, when that moment comes and the breath rushes from his lungs, he just _can't_ call it coincidence.

They're standing at the entrance to the pizza place when he stops walking and Finn slams into him. "Dude, what's wrong? Why are you staring? Who's that? Kurt? _Kurt_?"

"It's him, Finn," he whispers. "The boy who saved me."

"What? The one with the curly hair? That's the Anderson kid?"

"Yah, Finn. That's him."

And then their eyes meet, and Kurt swears that his cheeks aren't heating, but he ignores it either way and waves.

"That's Blaine."

* * *

><p>Blaine sees Kurt and his heart stops because <em>wow<em>. Someone has to be pulling strings up there.

"Oh, _no_, you're going over there?" Sebastian complains, throwing his hands up in the air and mumbling something into his scarf.

"He's my _friend_, Seb! I'm just being polite."

More mumbling.

When Blaine finally reaches him, his smile is obnoxious and he doesn't really know what to say. As it turns out, texting is _way_ easier than face-to-face communication.

"Blaine," Kurt nods, looking at the floor and biting his lip nervously. "This is my step-brother, Finn. Finn, meet Blaine."

Rather than the handshakes Blaine's used to, Finn pulls the smaller boy into a tight, bone-crushing hug. He finds himself laughing, though, when he pulls away and claps him on the shoulder. "You saved my brother, Blaine. That makes you an alright guy in my book."

He swears that Kurt's blushing.

"Well, since we're all here, do you want to eat with us? I'm sure Sebastian won't mind the company. He loves making new friends." It's not _really_ a lie.

Finn seems a bit weary, like he didn't want to be here in the first place and this is just making things worse. He bounces on his toes and flinches when a waitress brushes past. "Uh…sure, I guess. I like making new friends, too."

Kurt rolls his eyes when Finn isn't looking, silently hoping that his mess of a step-brother won't screw this up for him. Whatever _this_ is.

Sebastian turns to smile at the approaching boys, and maybe his smile turns a bit venomous when he sees Kurt, but, hey, it's not _his_ fault the kid pisses him off. "Kurt," he nods. "And friend." He stands up and holds out his hand towards the taller, slightly more awkward teenager practically hugging Kurt's side. "The name's Sebastian. And _you_ are…?"

Already, Sebastian can tell that the taller boy doesn't like him – that he's uncomfortable already but even more so around _him_. He wonders if he can use this to his advantage. "Finn," the boy says shortly. His handshake is firm but shaky, like he's figured out all of Sebastian's dirty little secrets and has to act like they don't scare him.

He smiles at Kurt. "Nice to see you're still alive, Kurt. You gave us quite a scare."

Blaine inhales sharply before smiling and motioning for Finn and Kurt to sit. "We just ordered, so the pizza should be here any second." He slides in alongside Sebastian, suddenly self-conscious about the fact that he's in checkered pajama pants and an old Dalton hoodie while Kurt absolutely _breathes_ flawless in whatever designer jacket he's wearing.

Needless to say, the dinner is awkward. Finn can't stop glaring at Sebastian, and whenever Kurt tries to tell him to knock it off, he just shrugs his shoulders and accuses Kurt of not knowing what he's talking about. Kurt doesn't much fancy pointless small talk, but it doesn't seem like he and Blaine can get into any sort of actual conversation when Finn and Sebastian are challenging one another across the table.

They share sympathetic smiles, though. Kurt's saying, _Sorry about him. He's a strange one, sometimes._ And Blaine's saying, _No, no, don't worry about it. It's Sebastian's fault for being cocky all the time, anyway._

Still, the pizza is pleasant, and Finn promises Kurt to come here more often. Blaine is pretty good at paving over the more awkward moments, spinning random tales about everything and nothing at all, and Kurt can get used to this. He even finds Blaine's jokes to be funny, which surprises Finn more than it does him since Kurt _never_ laughs at any of _his_ jokes.

"Alright, alright, boys," Sebastian says, smiling as Blaine smacks his palms against the table in laughter over something Finn said. "I think it's time for us to head back…"

"Actually," Blaine says. "Why don't we all go shopping?"

Kurt's smile is absolutely radiant. Finn just pouts. "Kurt and I were gonna go by ourselves…"

"Don't be silly, Finn!" Kurt interjects. "We could use the company." Almost on accident, his eyes land on Blaine. _Besides, if Blaine and I are going to be friends, we need all the time in the world._

Again, Finn seems uncomfortable – like he wants to keep Kurt happy and likes Blaine, but he doesn't know these people and it's _weird_. But one glance at the look on his step-brother's face and the word _yes_ pops out before he can even think about it.

Sebastian's just upset because he never got his ice cream and he's the one paying the bill.

* * *

><p>They end up stopping by some shop in the middle of town not too far from the pizza place. "I love this store!" Kurt squeals excitedly. "I can't believe you've never been!" Blaine just shrugs his shoulders with a smooth smile and watches Kurt run in, reminded vaguely of a kid in a candy store while the taller boy eyes the racks with a wide-eyed wonder. It's adorable.<p>

But he didn't just think that.

He'll admit that the night's been a bit strange, but he _likes_ spending time with Kurt. He likes the awkward energy and the way they try to even things out before Finn or Sebastian interrupt and bring them right back to slightly uncomfortable.

It's nice to have someone other than Sebastian and the Warblers.

It's _nice_.

Which is why, when Sebastian and Finn start arguing over what color looks best on Finn – and, really, it's kind of ridiculous – he follows Kurt to a display decorated heavily with scarves made of yarn and silk and everything in between.

Kurt smiles, if not a bit nervously. "You'd look good in…_this_ one!" He pulls a red, knitted scarf from the pile and holds it against Blaine's hoodie, and the way it makes his heart jump is strange and comfortable and out-of-this-world.

Blaine looks down and smiles, more at the contrast of porcelain skin against red than at the scarf itself. "It would look rather nice, I think. Now, for you…" He searches through the piles of scarves until he comes across a deep blue one – hand-knitted, according to the tag – with white stripes looping around the ends. "Because your eyes are blue and all…"

_He's got the prettiest smile_, Blaine thinks.

Kurt giggles and rolls his eyes before taking the scarf in his hands, loving how soft it is against his skin and _wow_. "I'll have to come back and get it some time."

Blaine watches the wonder in Kurt's eyes and realizes that he's watching _everything_ about Kurt, but he doesn't really care quite as much as he should.

When their eyes meet, Kurt clears his throat, places the scarf back where they found it, and nods towards Sebastian and Finn. "Funny how quickly they go to being the worst of enemies, huh?"

The curly-haired boy shrugs. "I think it's kind of cute, actually. Like those two kids that want to be friends but don't know how since they're both so different. Maybe one day they'll get along."

They watch as Finn grabs the shirt Sebastian's shoving in his face and carelessly tosses it towards the floor, hissing something about only girls wearing that color.

Kurt thinks it's a little more than that, but he doesn't say anything. He's used to Finn being weird around people he doesn't know, but this is more than just a _little_ weird. Sure, Sebastian didn't give off the best of vibes, but if Kurt, of all people, was willing to give the kid a chance, than who was Finn to be a diva?

Still, maybe Blaine's right and they just don't know how to get along.

"So, you never called me."

Kurt _swears_ he isn't blushing. He rolls his shoulders and picks nervously at the scarves in an attempt to at least _look_ nonchalant. "I've been busy, I guess. Besides, texting is a _lot_ easier."

"I don't know," Blaine says with a shrug. "I've always preferred talking over the phone."

"Well, maybe I'll call you tomorrow, then." He almost regrets saying it. _Almost_.

Because he wants this friendship to work more than he should.

He wants to memorize the way Blaine looks when he's excited. "Seriously? I mean, you don't _have_ to…"

"Believe it or not, I want this friendship to work out just as bad as you seem to. I need something away from what's normal. I need _change_."

"It's like you're reading my mind or something."

And then they just let the silence bleed through, because what else can they talk about? They can ask questions and get to know each other better, but Kurt thinks that should wait and Blaine's not about to spill his guts in the middle of some shop he can never even remember the name of because it's something French and expensive-sounding.

Besides, it's nice the way things are.

With Finn and Sebastian arguing and Finn glaring and trying not to curse and their hands buried in scarves and their hearts beating just a tad faster for reasons they can't wrap their heads around just yet.

They'll have to leave soon.

But that's okay.

Because Kurt promised to call some time tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>DID YOU GUYS SEE THAT CHRISMAS EPISODE? ALKJD:LFKJALK:SDFLKJ It was so epically perfect that I just can't even (although a Klaine kiss would have made it ten zillion times better)


	5. Coffee Orders

**AN: ***wipes sweat* To those of you who were waiting for an update, well, here it is! Sorry it took so long, but the holidays and the weeks prior to them had me all tied up. Seriously, in _knots_. And now, look, we have to wait _weeks_ for a new episode of Glee. Guh.  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Oh my gosh, I wish it was mine.

* * *

><p><strong>Coffee Orders<strong>

Finn watches his step-brother curiously, eyes darting back and forth, following Kurt as he paces the living room and chews nervously on his lower lip. He wants to ask what's wrong, but he's already asked ten times, and Kurt still refuses to answer. All he gets is a few mumbled curses and a _not now, Finn! _

It'd almost be funny if Kurt's strange behavior wasn't actually _worrying_ him. Ever since "that" Friday night, Kurt's been out of sorts. Finn doesn't know what to make of it. Kurt doesn't seem _upset_, just…shaken. Like he's trying to walk in straight lines but can't because there's a giant, solar-powered fan blowing him all off course.

And then Finn smiles into his hands because _wow_, that's a funny picture to have in his head.

"Finn, what on _earth_ are you smiling at?" Kurt practically shrieks, glaring at Finn with his hands on his hips. "I'm trying to _think _here!"

"Think about _what_, exactly?"

"Nothing you'd even understand…"

"You don't know that! Maybe I could help you, you know, think it out or whatever."

There's a tiny smile on Kurt's face, and it's all Finn needs to know that his step-brother isn't hurting or breaking or whatever those singers are always moping about, these days. It's just Kurt being Kurt - probably worrying over a test or a hangnail or what color best matches his eyes.

"Seriously, dude, just tell me what's up."

Kurt bites his lip, probably debating on whether or not it's a good idea. Finn may be his brother now, but that doesn't change the fact that he doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut about things that Carole doesn't _make_ him. Besides, it's still _Finn_, and maybe that'd be awkward.

"It's…about a boy. Although not necessarily in the sense that statement makes it out to be. I just…I don't _know_!" Sighing, Kurt flops down on the couch beside the taller boy. This is the side of Kurt that nobody ever really gets to see – the side that gets flustered and nervous even though he never has any real reason to be.

Finn smiles, finding it easier and easier to ignore that little pinch that comes with hearing Kurt talk about boys. "Dude, you can tell me _anything_."

"I-it's nothing _really_. I just…don't know what to do."

"_About_?"

"About…about _Blaine_." Finn sees Kurt's cheeks flush and does his best not to smile because even _he's_ not oblivious.

"I've had crushes on people I barely know, too, Kurt. You're not alone…"

"_NO_! No, no, _no_! God, no! Finn, what…"

"We've all been there, dude! He's really nice, and I'll admit that he's pretty good looking for a guy. It makes sense!"

Kurt slaps his arm repeatedly – not enough to hurt but _still_. "I do _not_ like him, okay?"

Finn pouts and rubs his arm. "Fine, whatever. Why were you thinking about him then?"

"Because he wants me to call him and I don't know what to say! I barely know him, and I don't want to seem too cocky or too shy and _what do I do_?"

"Why don't you just…be yourself?"

Kurt wants to smack him. "You say that like it's _easy_."

"Kurt, you're _good_ at being yourself, so I don't get why it's gonna be so hard."

Kurt frowns. "I've never been good at making friends, Finn. I'm just not used to _myself_ being what people want to see. Besides, even though he seems nice, maybe he's not…"

"Dude, he saved your_ life_. You could have died that night if it weren't for him!"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic! It was just a couple cuts and bruises, nothing I couldn't have just up and walked away from."

Finn shakes his head, starting to get a little bit frustrated. "It doesn't matter whether or not you were dying. The point is that he got you help when he could have just walked right past you. Maybe you still consider him a stranger but, at this point, I'd start looking at him like a friend."

When Kurt doesn't respond, Finn casts the clock a nervous glance and pats his step-brother's shoulder. "Look, I've gotta go to Rachel's, but if you need help I'm just a text away, alright?"

The look on Kurt's face is a mix between desperation and defeat. "Just don't tell her about this, okay? She'll go mental knowing I'm keeping secrets."

* * *

><p>"Hello?"<p>

"Hi! Uhm…B-Blaine?"

"_KURT_! I knew you'd call! I just _knew_ it!"

Through the nervousness, Kurt is able to spare a light chuckle. "Of _course_ I called! I'm not one to back down on promises."

"I'll have to remember that...Wait, _what_? Oh, no, it's just – No,_ Sebastian_, it's not my mother – It's Kurt, actually – What? No, stop it…Kurt? Hey, Kurt, you're still there, right?"

"_Obviously_."

"Oh, be quiet! Sebastian's being difficult and I thought maybe I'd hit the end button on accident. But, anyway, what's up?"

"Nothing much. Just watching America's Next Top Model re-runs and, you know, talking to you." God, why does everything he say sound so _stupid_? "What about you?"

"Well, I was reading, but now, you know, I'm talking to _you_!" His laughter is muffled, like he's trying to hide it behind his hand. "S-sorry, sorry! You're going to have to excuse me! I didn't get much sleep last night – like, less than usual – and I tend to be a bit out of character when I'm so tired."

"Yah, I can tell. You're just a little bit all over the place."

"Yah, yah…_No_! Seb, stop being ridiculous! You're being insane! Stop, I'm not tickle…Oh! _Stop_ it!"

Kurt finds it nearly impossible not to rip his hair out when Blaine bursts out into a fit of hysterical giggles. As it is, he doesn't really like Sebastian, and this is only making things worse. The fact that he's jealous doesn't help, either.

Because the child in Kurt wants Blaine all to himself.

"S-sorry," Blaine pants. "Kurt, please tell me you're still there? Seb's being a real jerk right now…"

Kurt hears the word "_hey_" shrieked in the background and tries his best to ignore Blaine's laughter. Obviously, he has a lot of work to do if he wants to be as close with Blaine as Sebastian is. Or maybe it's not even a realistic goal and he should just hang up and pretend this whole thing never happened.

"Y-yah, I'm still here, Blaine," he whispers. He wants to slam his head against the wall until he's seeing stars. He wants to erase everything that's happened because Blaine Anderson is_ completely_ out of his league. And maybe Finn was right.

Maybe he's falling for someone he barely even knows.

"Oh, well, I was wondering, are you busy right now? I mean, I understand if you are…"

His heart starts beating a little faster. "No, actually, I'm perfectly free. Nobody's even home right now." Crossing his fingers, he bites his lip and closes his eyes, silently wishing for something he shouldn't be wishing for.

"Great! Let's go get coffee! I know this great place that's somewhere between the both of us! You'll love it if you like good coffee…"

Kurt smiles, cheeks a little rosy, as he reaches for a pad of paper and waits for directions.

* * *

><p>As Blaine takes a seat by the window, he can't help but smile. He's excited about this, about getting to see Kurt again and maybe talk about things other than the weather and what songs they did and didn't like. In anticipation, his fingers tap against his thigh. He adjusts the collar of his shirt and looks at his wrist only to realize that, <em>of course<em>, he isn't wearing a watch.

He almost laughs at himself, but then he remembers that he's in public and stifles his chuckles behind his hand.

He hopes Kurt will be here soon.

If he's being honest, he doesn't know how long he'll make it. At this point, he doesn't even know if the coffee will help. Last night gave him less sleep than usual, which is _really_ saying something.

"Blaine?"

Startled, Blaine jumps up, smacking his knee against the table in the process. The look on Kurt's face is priceless as the taller boy makes his best attempt not to laugh for the sake of being polite.

Blaine blushes but looks away before Kurt can see. "Just shut up and sit down already," he grumbles, motioning to the empty chair across from him. "I went ahead and bought you something since you told me it was your favorite."

Kurt takes the cup in his hands and sniffs it appreciatively, and Blaine would be lying if he said it wasn't the cutest thing he's ever seen. "The fact that you even remember what I like proves just how nice of a guy you are," he mumbles, almost to himself.

"Uhm, thanks?"

Kurt smiles almost shyly. "Sorry. Sometimes it's just…weird, ya know? I like being your friend so much that it doesn't even feel like we're still sort of strangers." He looks down, afraid of how Blaine will react to being called his friend. He knew it was a dangerous card long before he even played it, but Finn's words were stuck in his head the whole ride over. _Maybe you still consider him a stranger but, at this point, I'd start looking at him like a friend._

Blaine tries to hide the fact the he's absolutely ecstatic. "No, no, I get it. I didn't know what you'd be like, either. At first, I was scared that you'd be a jerk just because I'm used to snobs at Dalton, but you're so different and just…_wonderful_." He's trying to keep his mouth shut, he really is, but Kurt's eyes and the fact that he's still horribly over-tired aren't making it easy. "Sebastian likes you, too, even if he won't admit it. He's just jealous because I'm always talking about you." _Seriously, Blaine? You might as well just tell him that you drown in his eyes every time you make eye-contact. Or that you think he's one of the most attractive boys you've ever met. Dear God, just get some sleep, will you?_

He scratches at his neck and tries to make it seem less like he was having an internal conflict and more like he was just contemplating the pattern of the table.

"Well, thank you," Kurt says, clearly sincere. "You're pretty wonderful, yourself. Especially considering you remembered my coffee order just because I told you once through a text message."

They smile warmly at each other before simultaneously taking sips of coffee. "So," Blaine begins. "How's life in public school?"

Kurt rolls his eyes, and the hatred rolling off of him is suddenly palpable. Blaine sort of regrets even asking. "Boring as usual and just as unsupportive as everyone makes it out to be. If I get slushied one more time…"

"_Slushied_?"

"For some reason, the jocks in our school seem to enjoy throwing frozen drinks in our face. Only the glee kids, of course. Even the chess club gets more respect."

"Oh, Kurt, that's _horrible_. How do they get away with it?"

"Because they could be doing worse and they're not. They practically get _rewarded_ for it."

"Kurt, I…"

"Look, I'm only complaining because I hate washing clothes. In a way, I'm actually kind of grateful. I haven't been hurt yet, and that's all that matters."

The way Kurt says 'yet' tears Blaine's heart to pieces. "Why don't you just go somewhere else?"

"All of my friends are at McKinley. I can't just leave them. Besides, for all I know, it'll just be _worse_ somewhere else."

"Not at Dalton!" he practically blurts.

"That wouldn't solve the leaving my friends problem."

"Well, well, I…"

Kurt laughs, and it's like music to Blaine's ears. He honestly admires Kurt. He could never have been so strong. "Blaine, you're worrying too much. A couple slushies are nothing I can't handle. Now, how about you tell me _all_ about Dalton."

It's obvious that Blaine doesn't want to change the subject, but Kurt doesn't want to talk about this anymore. His life has been hard, but he's lucky. Things could be worse.

"Well, uhm," Blaine starts, nervously tapping his fingers against his cup. "The classes are still some of the hardest I've taken, but that's private school for you. I get pretty good grades considering I study like a mad man whenever Sebastian's around. He's, like, a super genius or something."

Because he was raised to be polite, Kurt smiles. "And the Warblers? How's that going for you?"

Blaine's face lights up like Kurt's tree on Christmas. "_Amazing_. We're already working on Christmas music just because we all love Christmas so much, ya know? I mean, it's my favorite holiday. I should take you to meet the guys some time. I think you'd really like them. Maybe you could sing with us!"

Kurt laughs at the excitement all over Blaine's face. "That's such a lovely idea that I may actually have to consider it."

They smile and, for just a little bit, they let the butterflies settle and just watch each other.

Until, of course, something ruins it.

"Blaine! Babe, you forgot your phone! I was worried about you."

In his surprise, Blaine gasps and spins around to face Sebastian, who is walking towards him and waving his phone over his head. "Oh? Sebastian? Th-thanks, I guess."

Sebastian settles at Blaine's side with a satisfied smile. "I got worried when you didn't answer my calls, and then I saw that you'd left your phone on your bed! I know it's a little crazy that I came all this way just to give you your phone, but I was kind of hoping we could go out for dinner." His eyes flick towards Kurt. "Just the two of us."

Blaine's eyes furrow in confusion. "Sebastian, I'm here with Kurt. I _told_ you I'd be here with Kurt. He came all this way! I mean, I'd love to but…"

"Don't worry about it," Kurt says, rushing the words from his mouth before he can regret them. "I was going to go shopping, anyway. The mall up the street is really kind of fabulous." He stands, buttons his coat, and nods at Blaine, who seems torn. "We'll do this more often, okay?"

This shocks Blaine. Kurt isn't mad. He's not storming out or cursing at Sebastian. He's even asking if they can do this more often, biting his lip and blushing as he does so. "O-of course. Next weekend, maybe. I won't have time during the week."

Kurt smiles. "Me either. Too much singing and school work to do." He shrugs. "I'll see you, Blaine. You, too, Sebastian."

"Later, Kurt," Sebastian mumbles, moving to take his seat. "Have fun shopping."

"I'll see you soon, Kurt," Blaine says. "Text me later, okay? I have my phone now so…"

"No promises, but I'll try," Kurt teases.

Blaine watches him go with a heavy heart before turning back to Sebastian, trying not to think too much about Kurt in order to avoid running after him.

* * *

><p>Sebastian takes Blaine to a small diner he likes to visit because it reminds him a little of when they were kids and his grandparents used to take them out for lunch.<p>

"Sorry I took you away from your friend," he says as soon as they sit. "I just don't like having to share you."

Blaine smiles. "Yah, well, you're going to have to get used to it. I like Kurt. He's a good guy. I want you to like him, too."

Rather than looking at Blaine, he looks at his menu. "Well, I don't know him so…"

"Seb, just give him a chance!"

"I will, okay? Let's just eat dinner in _peace_. Talking about him just makes me _sad_."

It's moments like these that Blaine can see, clearly, why not everyone likes Sebastian as he does. He doesn't like to deal with feelings that make him uncomfortable, so he ignores them, regardless of what they mean to other people. Maybe Blaine doesn't understand it, but he knows that Kurt means_ something_ to him, and he wants his best friend to be okay with it. He wants them to get along.

But now's not the time. He knows that, more than anything, he wants Sebastian to stay; not to hate him for making new friends. They've been best friends since childhood. He's not about to throw that away. Not right now.

"How about we skip the dinner and just get a whole bunch of _pie_? I could really go for some pie."

It takes a few seconds, but, soon enough, Sebastian looks up at his friend and starts to laugh. "Yah, pie sounds good."

When Blaine looks down to browse the diner's long list of fruit-filled desserts, Sebastian lets his eyes linger. He wants to soak Blaine in, to hold him so close and for so long that who _he_ is, is who _Sebastian_ is, too. He wants to trace his fingers over every inch of skin until he can perfectly recall the other boy when they're apart. He wants to be a better person. For Blaine.

Always for Blaine.

His best friend. The one person who never judged him unfairly for who he was.

He just wants them to _be_ forever.

He looks away before Blaine catches him staring.

* * *

><p>Before they leave, when Blaine's slipping his left arm through his jacket and mumbling about some book he's just read, Sebastian swoops forward and plants a kiss on his best friend's cheek.<p>

His friend's eyes are alight with _something_, but it's not what he wants. Not what he's been hoping for. Love, sure, but not the right kind.

It leaves him aching more than it warms him up.

Like it's supposed to.

And why, all of a sudden, does he want to blame it all on _Kurt_? Why does he clench his fists at even the _thought_ of those rosy cheeks and those stupid, _stupid_ blue eyes?

Why does he think Blaine's falling in love without even realizing it, himself?

Falling in love with someone_ else_.

"Ready to go, Seb?" Blaine asks, holding the door open for his best friend and trying not to eye him curiously. "You seem a little stressed. Wanna go shopping?"


	6. Count on Me

**AN: **This one is short, guys:( Time just has not been on my side lately! But, on the plus side, things are about to heat up (although not necessarily in the way I'm sure some of you are hoping;)) Next chapter should, hopefully, be loads better.

This chapter features Karofsky, who I've morphed to fit this little plot hole of mine.

**Disclaimer: **Alas, Glee is not in my possession.

* * *

><p><strong>Count On Me<strong>

Let it be known that Kurt Hummel is not scared.

He knows who he is, and that's all that matters.

That Friday night was the first in a long, _long _time.

And for some reason, he can't stop looking at the bruises. He traces his fingers over them in the mirror and bites down hard on his lip as he tries not to cry. When nobody's around, he counts the scars out loud.

But he is not _afraid_. Just because he starts shaking when he thinks about the way they hit him, just because he cries into his pillow when even thoughts of Blaine can't pull him from the hurt, doesn't mean he's frightened. No, because Kurt Hummel is _strong_.

He's better than them, and that _has_ to count for something.

Right now, though, he doesn't know what to believe.

Dave Karofsky never scared him, not before. Sure, he was tired of being slammed against lockers, and the slushies were ruining some of his best clothes, but nothing about the boy ever intimidated him.

Until right this moment.

It's a little past three-thirty, and the hallways are practically ringing with silence. Students fled the moment the bell rang, teachers following not too far behind. Kurt was just running to his locker to grab a book he'd forgotten before an after-school glee practice when he feels unfamiliar hands pushing at his back.

"_Hummel_," he hisses.

"Wha –," Kurt gasps before he's very violently spun around and shoved up against the locker nearest to his own. "Karofsky? What are you _doing_? I _just_ bought this shirt!"

Dave's smile is absolutely poisonous. "Don't worry about it. I'll buy you a new one. Now, how about we get out of here and go do something a little more…_productive_." He brings a hand up to tilt Kurt's chin.

"W-what? What are you t-talking about?" Suddenly, he doesn't feel so confident. The look in the other boy's eyes is one that he's never seen before, but that causes his face to go pale in fear.

"I don't need to go to practice. They'll do just fine without me. You definitely don't need to practice using the voice of yours. I wonder what you'd sound like…"

"Stop! Stop it, Dave, j-just _go_…"

He doesn't listen. He just looks Kurt up and down. "Come on. Let's leave. We'll take my car. Be back before anyone even notices."

His mouth doesn't seem to want to work anymore. His only defense is to kick the taller boy in the groin when he's too preoccupied to cover himself up.

Hands over his balls, Karofsky pulls away with a muttered, "_Fuck you, Hummel_."

Then, as if nothing had ever happened, he walks away.

The tears come before he can stop them.

And then, thankfully or not, familiar voices carry down the hallway. Slowly, he sinks to the ground and wraps his arms around his knees.

"Kurt? K-Kurt! Mercedes, it's Kurt!"

Footsteps sound quickly against the tiled floor and, seconds later, Sam and Mercedes are pulling him up. They mumble questions and apologies and theories until it's just too much and he gives up on listening.

Parts of his brain are telling him to shove them off – to tell them that _it's all okay_ and _no, no, I'm fine, really_. But the tears won't stop.

They drag him down the hallway, towards the music room. He hears the clash of tuning guitars and the solid _thump_ of a drum and lets out a choked sob.

Mercedes squeezes his arm, but he barely feels it.

Things were going so _well_. That Friday night, now weeks ago, had been _nothing_. It was supposed to be _nothing_. An accident. A slip.

Finn reaches him first. Then Brittany, and Quinn, and Artie, and he closes his eyes because he has to be strong.

"What's going on?" Mr. Schue practically demands, parting through the crowd of teenagers to reach Kurt. "Kurt, what's wrong?"

Sam and Mercedes talk in low whispers. They tell the group all that they know.

Everyone turns to face him. Mr. Schue looks a cross between sad and frustrated.

Kurt bites his lip.

"Nothing," he finally manages. "Nothing. Just…Karofsky being Karofsky. He slammed me against my locker, like always, and I'm a little stressed, so it bugged me more than usual. I'm sorry if I scared you, but it was nothing." He stares at the floor, and it should be obvious, but it's not, so he just keeps on staring.

What they don't know won't kill them.

Besides, he won't let it happen again.

Rachel places a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we can help? Get the boys to shake him off?"

"Sounds like a plan," Puck chimes in, raising his eyebrows in serious consideration. "We may play on the same football team, but I've lost all respect for the dude. Let me tell him where to shove it."

Lips quirking to the side in an almost smile, Kurt swipes his fingers over his cheeks and rubs away the tears. "No, it's okay. Like I said: stressed. Lots of school work, you know." He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, and he doesn't think anybody notices how tense he really is. He sighs in relief.

Naturally, things go back to normal.

Rachel struts to the front of the room and sings some poppy song that hurts Kurt's heart a little, but it's not really like he's paying attention. All he can think about is calling Blaine and telling him what just happened, because he wants _someone_ to know. And as much as he loves his glee friends, he's itching to get away. They won't understand.

They'll react with violent words and raised fists, but what will it accomplish? Karofsky is not the first, and he won't be the last.

He just wants to talk to somebody who understands.

Blaine Anderson seems like the only possible candidate.

* * *

><p>Mr. Schue tells him, after practice, that he's going to talk to Principal Figgins, but Kurt doesn't let himself hope too much as he gets into his car. Nervously, he looks around the parking lot, but he's pleased to know that, other than a few other glee kids, he's alone. Finn won't be out for a few more minutes, so he leans back in the seat and closes his eyes.<p>

His phone sits in his lap as he awaits a text message from Blaine. He won't tell him anything yet. What went down with Karofsky is too private to discuss through a quick message.

Finally, after five minutes of waiting, Finn throws the door open and slumps against the passenger seat. "Wanna tell me what happened back there? With Karofsky, I mean. You looked really upset."

Kurt puts the keys in the ignition and rolls his eyes, still hurting but, for the most part, back to normal. "Like I said, I'm stressed. His little shove felt like the end of the world. I'm fine now. And please, _please_, don't bring this up with my dad and Carole, okay?"

Finn winces. "Kurt, I don't know…"

"Finn, _please_."

They pull out of the lot and wave at Rachel as she slips into her own car. "But I'm worried about you, man! These past two months just _haven't _been your months."

"Let _me_ worry about that, Finn."

Running his hands through his hair, Finn takes a moment to just _look_ at his step-brother. He sees a tired face, rosy cheeks, and a fashion sense that blows most girls' tastes out of the water. He sees the same person he's always known. "What about Blaine? How are things with him?"

And Kurt smiles like it's all alright. "Great, actually. We're meeting up for coffee again on Saturday." Excitement sparks through his veins just at the thought.

"You seem pretty excited."

His cheeks burn. "Yah, you could say that."

* * *

><p>Kurt falls back against the mattress with an exhausted yawn. Rubbing at his eyes, he decides that now's a good as time as any to call Blaine. What happened with Kaforsky is like a weight pressed against his chest, both painful and annoying all at once. He just wants to make it go away.<p>

It takes a few seconds before somebody finally answers with a subdued, "Hello?"

Instantly, he recognizes the voice, although he's bothered by the fact that it isn't who he's expecting. "S-Sebastian? Uhm, is Blaine around? I kind of need to talk to him."

There's a moment of silence and an exaggerated sigh. "No, he's off at the library. Left his phone here. I'll have him call back…"

"No!" It's honestly not his fault when the word practically explodes from his throat. "I mean…I mean, can I talk to you, then?" He wants to smack himself. When it comes to keeping quiet, Kurt was never very good at it. "I need to talk to _some_body."

Sebastian snorts. "And what makes you think I even want to _listen_?"

Well, okay, he wasn't expecting _that_. But he's still gotta try. When it comes down to it, getting to know Sebastian is just as important as getting to know Blaine. They need to be comfortable if he expects this friendship with Blaine to ever make it somewhere. "I was just hoping that you'd understand."

"Understand _what_, exactly?"

"What it's like to be gay in a world that doesn't want to accept it."

Again, silence. On the other end, Sebastian's doing that annoying _thing_ he does with his mouth where he bites down hard at the inside of his cheek. This is Kurt, for crying out loud! Kurt Hummel, the kid that he hates because he _obviously_ has eyes for _his_ Blaine.

But the kid sounds pretty wrecked, and he can't forget how broken he was the night they found him. Some part of him just doesn't want to see that happen again. Because he _does_ know what it's like. Although it was years ago now, he still remembers the way people looked at him. People who were supposed to love him.

He decides, although with a _pained_ sigh, that he wants to listen and, if he can, actually help the other boy. "What happened, Kurt?"

And Kurt absolutely _breaks_. Had it been on any other day, at any other time, Sebastian would have laughed, called him weak, and removed his number from Blaine's phone. He would have made up a thousand lies just to convince his best friend that Kurt wasn't as good as he made himself out to be. He would have kissed Blaine and _taken _Blaine and broken Kurt's heart just to watch the hurt split his face.

But not now.

Not when Kurt starts crying over the phone because he can't tell this to anybody else and Sebastian is the closest thing he has to a friend. Not when Kurt's pain is _his_ pain.

And when it's all over, he only knows one thing for sure.

He wants to punch the hell out of that Karofsky kid.

Every part of him hates that he's siding with Kurt. The very molecules of his being practically scream out in agony when he actually starts _liking_ Kurt. Realizing that they could actually be _friends_ is like taking a kick to the balls.

"Kurt, I want you to listen to me, alright?" Sebastian is not a compassionate person. He runs from strong emotions because they fucking _scare_ him. Feeling vulnerable, afraid, broken – he doesn't like it. Even the good ones: love, hope, happiness; they always end up leading to the bad things in life. Which is why he's only ever trusted Blaine.

The way Blaine makes him feel doesn't scare him like the rest of the world does.

Kurt's voice his rough from talking through the tears. "Okay."

"This kid, Karofsky, is nothing, alright? _Nothing_. He's afraid, and you're not, and that makes you so much better than him. People like him are jealous and big-headed because of it. Don't let anything he does or says scare you, because he _can't_ hurt you. Not without getting hurt back."

The way Sebastian manages to put himself out as so kind and protective sort of shocks Kurt to the core. He's silent for a few moments, contemplating just what this whole thing means.

Maybe he just has to give Sebastian a little more credit.

"Kurt, you there?"

"Y-yah, uhm…"

There's some talking on the other end, and Kurt automatically recognizes the other voice as Blaine's. His shoulders slump without his realizing as he lets out a sigh of relief. Sebastian is nice, but Blaine is the one he _really_ wants to talk to.

A few seconds later, his panicked voice is speaking out at Kurt. "Kurt? Kurt, what happened? Sebastian said you were crying!"

He laughs through the tears. "How was the library?"

"Not important. Kurt, _what happened_?"

"Well, there's this stupid football player…"

* * *

><p>By the time everything's been said and done, it's somewhere close to midnight. Blaine doesn't want to hang up – wants to resists Kurt's <em>goodbye, Blaine<em>, but he's so caught up in all that he's just heard that he can't form the right words.

All he wants is for Kurt not to _hurt _anymore.

Even when they were past the sad stories and into the casual joking and small talk that was their relationship, Blaine could hear the difference in his friend's voice. That small note of sadness that he only ever remembers hearing when they were in that hospital. It breaks his heart.

"Hey, don't look so upset," Sebastian says, pulling him from his thoughts. "Let's get some sleep."

Blaine's eyes are wide with shock, sadness, and fear. Fear for Kurt. Fear for his _friend_. "I don't think I can sleep along tonight, Seb. Can I…can we share a bed?"

Sebastian's smile is soft and carved gently from his understanding. "Of course."

The shorter boy doesn't even bother with putting on pajamas. He just crawls beneath the blankets and takes comfort from Sebastian's warmth.

His voice is liquid against the quiet ringing in Blaine's ears. "He'll be okay. I may not know him very well, – hell, I may not even _like_ him – but I know that he's strong. I can see it in his eyes, Blaine. You don't have to worry." And for two entirely different reasons, there are knots tied up tight in their throats.

Blaine wants to cry.

Sebastian just wants to throw something out the window. He wants to smash glass and punch someone's nose until it _breaks_ because he doesn't like the sensation that is his heart tearing itself to shreds.

For Kurt.

And that's a hard pill to swallow.

He never wanted to like the kid, let alone _hurt_ for him.

Blaine curls against his side, and it's a nice feeling. Like dipping his toes in warm sand or sinking into a nice, hot bath after having been outside in the cold all day. Clinging to it greedily, he falls asleep pretty quickly.

His friend, however, is up for hours, just staring at the ceiling and thinking _Kurt, Kurt, Kurt_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Don't forget to look out for Chris Colfer and the rest of the lovely Glee cast tonight at the PCA's!:D Hope you all voted!

~and I'm only just saying that to be polite; really I'm so excited just to see Chris and if he wins just a'lkadjf'lkajdsf;kljasd;lk~

~oh, and _I_ voted~

~for chris~

~like six thousand times~

~anyway~


	7. All I Want

**AN: **I'm baaaaack:D Psht, and ya'll thought I'd abandon this story for good. (I hope Christmas in August doesn't throw me off too much...)

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Glee I'd probably change the name to something like _"The Kurt and Blaine Show Finchel Can Burn"_

* * *

><p><strong>All I Want<strong>

"Kuuuuurt, _please_? Pretty pretty _pretty _please with cherries on top?"

Slamming his textbook shut because he's apparently not going to get any work done tonight, Kurt rolls his eyes and flops back on his bed. "Blaine, you do realize I have a life, right? I'm supposed to go shopping with Rachel on Friday. I can't just ditch her." There's a teasing note to his voice, but he really _does_ have plans for Friday, and he can't just keep cutting off his other friends for Blaine.

No matter how much he might want to.

"Can't you go shopping with her on _Saturday_?"

"I have to help my dad in the shop on Saturday."

"What shop?"

"He's a mechanic. I help fix cars, and Finn won't be around so he's gonna need me."

Something crashes on the other side.

"Blaine? Did you just drop me?"

"What? Uh, no, I just…What about Sunday? Can't she wait 'til Sunday? I really want you to come see the Warblers preform, and next week we'll be on break so I can't – "

"Blaine, does this have anything to do with the whole Karofsky thing?"

Silence.

"_Blaine_?"

The other boy sighs heavily into the phone, and Kurt can almost imagine the way his shoulders are probably sagging, embarrassed at being caught. "Okay, yah, I just…I worry about you. You get hurt too much, and I feel like if you're with me…you'll be _safe_."

A lump forms in Kurt's throat.

_Oh, what have you gotten yourself into?_

"I can take care of myself, you know," he says, although it comes out as half-hearted and flat.

"No, no, I know! Kurt, I _know_. It's just…"

As bad a friend to Rachel as Kurt knows this is probably going to make him, Kurt can't deny that he'd rather spend his time with Blaine.

Blaine, in his school uniform. Singing and dancing. _Dancing_.

"I'll be there."

* * *

><p>Needless to say, Blaine doesn't sleep a wink Thursday night.<p>

He keeps tossing and turning, earning worried and frustrated glances from Sebastian that he chooses to ignore, too caught up in thoughts of tomorrow to want to talk to even his best friend.

Kurt's going to get to see him _sing_.

That thought alone is enough to drive him absolutely crazy with a mix of nerves and excitement.

_What if he doesn't like the way I sing? Or dance? What if he thinks our numbers are cheesy and leaves before we even finish? What if he doesn't show up?_

Deep down, Blaine knows these thoughts are pointless and stupid, given that he and Kurt are pretty good friends (good enough to ditch plans with other people), and the other boy would probably tell him up front what he thought before just ditching him and mocking him behind his back with all of his McKinley friends. Besides, Blaine _knows_ he's good.

It's just, when it comes to Kurt, he can't help but want to _impress_ the other boy.

It's silly and childish and it doesn't really make sense, but Blaine can't stand the thought of disappointing him.

_Don't dwell on it_, he tells himself. _It's Kurt, idiot. You know he's gonna like you no matter what._

And that's true, isn't it? After everything they've been through, a simple song and dance- regardless of how good or bad it may be- probably won't be the thing that sends Kurt running for the hills.

Blaine practically _stalked_ him back at the beginning of their friendship.

If Kurt didn't run then, then he won't run now.

Despite himself, a small smile curves at the corners of his mouth.

Was there anything he _wouldn't_ have done just to get Kurt Hummel to see him?

_No. No, I would have done anything. For him. _

* * *

><p>Kurt feels completely and utterly <em>lost<em>.

Dalton is a fucking _huge_ campus, complete with dorms and separate Admin office. He makes straight for the main building, unsure if he needs to sign in or grab a visitor's pass like he would have had to do at McKinley, taking Blaine's not telling him to do so as a simple enough sign.

It's easy enough once he gets past the main entrance, moving with the sudden flow of students that seems to come out of nowhere. Blaine told him to follow the rush, which leads him down a staircase that spirals down to a hallway much too similar to the one he just came from.

Looking up reveals an artfully designed dome ceiling that he takes a moment to admire before steeling his sudden nerves and moving to head for what he's pretty sure is the chorus room.

"Hey, I haven't seen you around here before."

Kurt jumps when there's a sudden hand on his elbow, though he relaxes into the touch when he sees that it's Blaine, come to meet him at the end of the steps.

His heart, though, does jump a bit in his chest, though he's able to fight the feeling for sake of taking the last couple stairs. "Yah, well, maybe I'm just a_ spy_ come straight from the New Directions."

Blaine's eyes widen in mock horror. "What _scandal_."

Kurt laughs, feeling a weight slide from his shoulders that he hadn't even realized was there. Being away from Blaine, especially after that whole Karofsky incident, had apparently affected Kurt a lot more than he'd let himself consider. "Lucky for you, though, I'm just an innocent bystander. Here to watch a friend perform."

Kurt wishes he could capture Blaine's smile permanently, could capture it and hang it by his bed so that he'd have a happy thought to fall asleep to every night. And even if the nightmares came, which they inevitably would, Kurt would have an anchor to pull him from that terrible darkness.

"He's lucky to have a friend like you," Blaine says.

Before Kurt can really wrap his head around what the young Warbler just said, Blaine's grabbing his hand and tugging him down the hallway.

The chorus room is already pretty crowded by the time they make it there. Boys of all different shapes, sizes, nationalities and, if Kurt's gaydar is anything to brag about, sexuality are standing side-by-side, bumping fists and bouncing on their toes in anticipation for whatever impromptu performance Kurt is about to witness.

"Just stay here," Blaine whispers, letting go of Kurt's hand with one last squeeze before bounding towards the center of the room.

Though Kurt feels a little lost without him, he casts the room a quick glance before turning his attention fully on Blaine, who's smiling warmly at him.

The music starts up suddenly, though not from a recording or any instruments.

They're actually _singing_ the parts an instrument would usually play.

Kurt recognizes the song almost instantly as _Jingle Bells_, although a bit more poppy and with _Blaine's voice as the lead._

If Kurt were prone to rather girlish acts of impression, he'd be swooning.

Instead, he slams his jaw shut and sways along to the beat, watching with thinly veiled excitement as Blaine dances around the room, breaking away from the group to spin and twirl around a few of his fellow Dalton classmates. A part of him keeps wishing that Blaine would just grab his hands and pull him into the number, and he's only able to mask his disappointment with a quick reminder that he doesn't go here, and it's probably not best to bring any more attention to him than necessary if he doesn't want to get automatically pinned as a spy.

Still, he's not totally ignored, and even Blaine keeps making eye-contact. A few of the boys dancing around him nudge him in the ribs and throw him cocky but brilliant smiles.

Sebastian's there too, dancing around Blaine and moving in-sync with his Warbler friends, but he doesn't make any effort to acknowledge Kurt, so he returns the favor and focuses all of his attention on Blaine.

_Jingle Bells_ blends seamlessly into _Last Christmas_, which then moves into a surprisingly humorous rendition of _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer._

By the end of it, Kurt's cheeks are rosy from laughing, and the boys around him are clapping him on the back and pointing at Blaine while he ends the last note after jumping very expertly on top of a couch sitting at the side of the room.

He bows dramatically, resulting in cheers and applause. Kurt can't even be jealous he's so proud of the other boy.

Blaine hops down and boys start to file out of the room, gathering up their blazers and school bags. Kurt nods at a few of them, biting his lip nervously and bouncing on his toes in anticipation while he watches Blaine high-five the rest of his glee club.

His stomach dips uncomfortably when Sebastian pulls him into a tight hug, noting in a hint of what he refuses to call jealously that it's a bit more than friendly.

He's shot a few strange looks as the Warblers start to leave the room, though they're always countered with quick – though slightly confused – smiles.

When Blaine finally comes back, there's a flush of pride and genuine happiness dusting his cheeks.

Much to Kurt's surprise, the other man pulls him into a quick hug, squeezing him tight. It ends too quickly, but Kurt doesn't let himself think about it.

He sets a hand on Blaine's shoulder and smiles, laughing when the other boy very eagerly asks "Did you like it?"

"Not what I was expecting," Kurt says, scrunching his face in faux distaste.

Blaine's face falls into a pout, stealing the red from his cheeks and turning him into a decidedly less cheery person. "Oh…"

Despite himself, Kurt giggles and drops his hand, unable to hold it for very much longer. "_Seriously_, Blaine? I was only kidding. You did fantastic."

The warmth is back instantly, and Kurt thinks Blaine's emotions could give him whiplash if he's not careful. He shoves playfully at Kurt's shoulder. "I knew you were joking, obviously. Nobody could think my singing was _bad_."

Kurt rolls his eyes, but there's a grin pulling at his cheeks. "Oh, I'm _so_ sure."

"It's true! I've been told my voice could lure even the strongest of sailors from their ships straight into the salty depths of the ocean."

"Oh, so you're a mermaid now?" Kurt scoffs.

Blaine's laugh is musical, light and floating, and Kurt can barely believe the circumstances they met under. If he thinks about it too hard, that night seems more like a dream that his reality.

It's almost like they were always here.

Like they were always friends.

Like Kurt was always kind of falling head-over-heels.

"Hey, are you ticklish?"

Kurt blinks. "What does that – "

Before he can finish, Blaine is surging forward and prodding mercilessly at his sides. He lets out a high-pitched squeal and tries to pull away, only to have Blaine pull him closer.

He stumbles back, hitting the back of the couch while he tries to stifle his giggles with the palm of the hand that isn't trying to fight Blaine off. "No, _n-no_! Get-get off…me! _Blaine_!"

He falls back with a squeak, landing hard on the couch while Blaine continues to attack his ribcage with jumper cables.

It's completely on accident that Blaine ends up crawling into Kurt's lap, chuckling so hard that his sides hurt from the force of it. Kurt keeps trying to fight him off, but it's useless.

He's too good.

"_S-stop! Blaine!"_

For a moment, Blaine pulls away, casting Kurt a quick and apologetic glance. "Why, are you ticklish?"

Not giving him a chance to catch his breath, Blaine brings his hands back to Kurt's sides. He thinks inexplicably of all the times he and Sebastian were in similar situations, but Kurt's body beneath his palms feels different.

_Better_, a tiny voice in his head supplies. _Being with Kurt is better._

It's this thought that has him pulling away for good, slowly uncurling his fingers from around Kurt's ribs and leaning back. He knows he should probably move, being that this position suddenly seems about a thousand times too intimate, but he can't, _won't_.

He needs a second, just a second, to look at Kurt this close.

His cheeks are still red from laughing, and his chest is heaving as he tries to catch his breath. His eyes are closed and his head is tipped back, revealing a long, thin neck that Blaine suddenly very badly wants to_ kiss_. He imagines how well his lips would fit right at the dip of the taller boy's collarbone, how pretty Kurt's skin would look plastered in hickeys (it's not a sight he's ever seen for himself, though the picture he's conjuring in his head is sure one he'd like to see).

Blaine's breath hitches in his throat.

Kurt's lips are red and swollen from biting them to keep from laughing too loud, and it's now that Blaine realizes they're all alone. The rest of the Warblers must have left, Sebastian included.

Blaine licks his lips, wondering suddenly (and maybe not for the first time, though he'll never admit it to anyone but himself) what Kurt's mouth would taste like. Would he taste of coffee – cinnamon and mocha? Would he taste of mint? Or berries? Would he gasp as Blaine sealed their mouths together, or would he be expecting it? Would he whine and curl his fingers in Blaine's hair, or would he growl possessively and claim Blaine's mouth with his tongue?

Blaine's heart feels too big for his chest.

When Kurt opens his eyes, it's like seeing the world at a completely different angle.

He smiles a bit confusedly, not even bothering to tip his head forward. "Blaine?"

The world stops.

How easy would it be, just to dip his head forward and…

"Blaine, you okay?"

And it moves again.

Shaking his head, Blaine laughs a little and pulls back, smoothing the folds from his blazer and standing up a little bit straighter than usual.

"Y-yah. Just a little tired from the number, I guess." He smiles sheepishly and holds his hand out for Kurt to take.

Shooting him a worried glance but not voicing his concern, Kurt takes the offered hand and lets Blaine help him up.

"So, how about a tour? It's a Friday, so most of the teachers are gone, and if we get caught I can always say you're new." Blaine winks and starts walking towards the exit.

Kurt casts the room one last glance before smiling and skipping to catch up. "We are _such_ rebels."

* * *

><p>From the very little Kurt has seen, he can tell that Dalton's a pretty fancy ass school.<p>

Surely nothing his family could ever afford.

Every classroom is complete with two desks for every teacher, one in the front and one in the back, both with computers. Unlike most of the classrooms at McKinley, the students sit at separate desks, with a large enough surface to sleep on if one was so inclined. Every room has a smart board, something that Kurt has never seen and wishes the doors were unlocked so as to get a closer look.

Blaine excitedly tells him about all of this, going into great detail about how every teacher is either incredibly strict or incredibly care-free. He gushes almost endlessly about his history teacher, Mrs. Sampson, going on and on about her serious lack of homework and how effortless her tests were.

He talks a lot about his other classes too, confessing with a blush how hard it is to actually get him to study and get good grades, despite his straight A's and perfect attendance. He admits that, if it weren't for his father's constant pushing and Sebastian's tendency to involve him in all-night study sessions, he'd probably be failing.

Usually, Kurt hates hearing about people's lives, with the exception of Mercedes, Brittany, and (only on occasion) Rachel. It bores him.

But with Blaine, he wants to hear _more_.

He wishes the young Warbler wouldn't ask for _his_ thoughts, because he wants to know all about what _Blaine_ has to think.

Blaine, who is a Senior just like him, who sings for a living and writes songs on the side (and he promises to maybe let Kurt read them someday), who longs to be on Broadway but would be just fine singing his own songs in the corner of some nondescript coffee shop. Blaine, who is almost always bright-eyed and eager, who doesn't give a damn about labels or what people have to think about him.

Blaine, who Kurt can't help but to long for.

If he could, he'd close the mere inches between them and intertwine their fingers.

But he can't, so he doesn't.

Their last stop, after sneaking past janitors and a few late-night teachers, is the Warbler's library, a cozy little room complete with fireplace and a constantly looping Christmas soundtrack. Files of music and stacks of CD's are organized carefully and by color on shelves meant to hold books. A perfectly pristine piano sits in the corner, looking well-worn but still spectacularly new.

There are two couches in the middle of the room, faced towards each other and a coffee table with a gavel sitting atop it. A radio sits in the corner, turned on low and humming something about snowflakes.

"Charming," Kurt coos, unable to keep the jealousy out of his voice. McKinley doesn't even have an organized place to keep all of its music; Mr. Schue has to keep it all at his house. "Damn, it even has a_ fireplace_."

"If only there was a fire burning," Blaine says, humor tickling his voice. "Then you'd _really _be living the Dalton experience."

For no reason at all, a lump forms in Kurt's throat.

A school like this…

Well, he only wishes he could stay at a school like this. It'd be a chance to escape the torment and the ignorance, as well as an opportunity to put himself out there a little bit more than he's ever allowed at McKinley.

Blaine settles a hand on his shoulder, and the touch is so familiar at this point that when Kurt looks up, it's not with shock, but with appreciation.

He thinks he's finally found someone who understands.

"Hey," Blaine says suddenly, eyes widening in excitement. "You know this song, right?"

Kurt turns to face the sound, smiling as the notes float in the air. "Yah, I…"

"Let's sing it!"

"What, no, Blaine…"

"Come on! For me, please?"

Rolling his eyes, Kurt sighs and moves to lean against one of the couches. "_I really can't stay_…"

They move fluidly, each taking their own lines and putting whatever spin on it they feel works. The voices of the actual singers fade beneath their own, loud and entranced as they are.

Blaine's voice had been incredible before, but there's something about being this close to it, something about letting it melt through his bones and fade into his blood.

They dance around each other, Kurt playing the role of hard-to-get while Blaine keeps on trying to get closer, and Kurt finds himself getting lost in the thrill of it. Every time Blaine reaches out to brush his shoulder or tap his nose, he pulls away with a smirk and a note, unable to help himself from flirting.

He's never had this before, at least not with the action actually being _reciprocated_, and by another _gay man_, at that.

It's nice, and Kurt finds himself wishing it would never end.

But it does, and as their voices fade on the last note, they both fall back on one of the couches, laughing hard enough to be sore by the end of it.

They sit there for a moment, absorbing the moment and sneaking glances at each other whenever they can. Kurt thinks Blaine looks handsome at this angle; Blaine thinks Kurt is probably the prettiest person-man or otherwise- he's ever seen.

"Tell me about that no bullying policy," Kurt says suddenly, standing up and moving to examine the multiple CD's stacked one on top of the other on one of the shelves. "I mean, you mentioned it earlier, but I want to know more." He shrugs even though he's not looking at Blaine. "Just to know what it's like."

He doesn't see the way Blaine's eyes soften in understanding and a little pain. He doesn't see Blaine stand up and start walking towards him.

"Well, there's not much to explain, really," he starts. He walks up behind Kurt and stares at the same shelf, fighting the urge just to reach out and _touch_. "Anybody says or does anything that could be considered offensive, and they're either expelled or sent to after-school hours classes. If it ever gets physical, whoever was involved gets kicked out for good. And if somebody was hurt, they're given time off to deal with it, and they get a counselor if they need it. Not that it ever happens, but the rule is still in place."

"So…nobody really ever gets hurt around here?"

Blaine takes a step closer and turns his attention to the other boy. "Nobody deserves to get hurt, Kurt. What that Karofsky kid did to you…"

"I don't want to talk about it," Kurt says softly. "Not here, not now." When he turns to look at Blaine, his eyes are watery. "I don't want to ruin it."

Blaine doesn't even think to ask "ruin what?", just pulls Kurt into his arms and squeezes tight while he sobs quietly in his arms.

It's not fair, what the world has done to them. Especially not to Kurt, who keeps too damned quiet about these things for his own good. Blaine wishes more than anything that he could take Kurt's pain away – that he could redirect it towards Karofsky and everyone like him.

It may not be just, but it would sure as hell make him feel a lot better.

"Shh, it's okay," Blaine soothes. "One day, Kurt, we're going to get as far away from McKinley as we can, okay? We're going to get on a train and we're just going to _go_, and we're never going to look back."

He knows it's probably selfish and naïve, to be speaking about them as a 'we' when, after graduation, there's always the possibility that they'll never see each other again, but he can hope. He can hope and he can dream, and he can hold Kurt just like this and he can _share _those hopes.

Kurt sniffles and buries his head in Blaine's neck. "Y-you think so?"

"Kurt, I _know_ so."

They stand like that for a few moments before Blaine pulls back and offers Kurt a tentative smile. It's returned, though it doesn't quite reach the other boy's eyes.

"Hey," Blaine says, tilting Kurt's chin with his finger. "Dance with me? I love this song."

Kurt snorts and slips his arms around Blaine's waist, moving like they've done it a hundred times before – like it's the most natural thing in the world. Blaine smiles and wraps his own around Kurt's shoulders, loving how well they fit.

The song is a slower version than the one he's used to, so they shuffle unhurriedly across the floor, barely even moving. It's enough to get Kurt to stop crying, at least.

Moving almost on instinct, Blaine presses a kiss to Kurt's temple, blushing at the action but too focused on it being the right thing to pull back and apologize for it. Kurt doesn't stumble back or squeal in shock, just rests his head on Blaine's shoulder with a sigh, so he takes it as a pretty good sign.

"You're a great person, Kurt," Blaine whispers. "And I can honestly tell you that I'm one of the luckiest guys alive just for knowing you."

Kurt smiles, clinging to Blaine a little tighter than probably necessary. "You're such a sap, Blaine Anderson."

"Hey, I've been told it's a good quality. An _attractive_ quality."

Kurt giggles, not even thinking when he says "Yah, well, whoever told you that was pretty damn accurate."

_I just want you for my own, More than you could ever know, Make my wish come true, All I want for Christmas, Is you_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Okay so excuses time!:P_  
><em>

Last school year was really busy (and this one is going to be even worse UGHlakdsjf), and the first few weeks of summer weren't much better! My goal right now is to finish as many fics as I can before Glee comes back, including this one, so, you know, never fear I'll actually be a productive writer and update this shit;)

I really do like this story, so if I start to slip, just give me a good kick in the butt, okay?

Look out for weekly updates and, until September 13th, let's keep our heads up (and try not to get too caught up in all the spoilers and speculations about our babies Kurt and Blaine okay?).

Reviews are indeed welcome:D

(P.S. sorry if this was rushed I just reallyreally wanted to get it out and also super super sorry for any typos i was typing like a madman whaahaa)


	8. Scarves

**AN: **haha uhm so this one's really short but i keep getting distracted and this is mostly just a filler so you'll have to bear with me for now:P the chapter after this one (hah!) is going to be LOADS LOADS LOADS BETTER. i know their relationship is moving at snail speed but just take a dDEEP BREATH they will make it there I SWEAR!

also: THE GLEE SEASON FOUR PROMO JUST RELEASED ON TUMBLR I LAM DLFKM SDFLJ

another also: for all those klainers out there, keep your heads high. we're going to make it through this. (if you don't know what i'm talking about, i won't spoil it for you:P)

**Warning: **there is kind of romantic seblaine ahead (but you don't have to worry i hate seblaine with a passion so it won't be anything too serious I SWEAR SCOUT'S HONOR)

also, this chapter is pretty quick:P my apologies in advance!

* * *

><p><strong>Scarves<strong>

Blaine can't get last night out of his head.

He keeps seeing Kurt, head tipped back and eyes closed; keeps imagining how wonderful it would feel to press their mouths together, soft and sweet and then entirely desperate.

If he wasn't already an insomniac, he thinks he'd have been up all night, anyway.

" –aine? Hey, _Blaine_!"

Jerked from his thoughts, Blaine jumps a bit and turns his head to face Sebastian. "Y-yah?"

Sebastian sighs and rolls his eyes, nodding towards a store coming up on their left. "Wanna stop and shop for a bit? I know your mom wants you home…"

"Fine. It's fine. She won't care."

Sebastian turns for a moment, angling his head away from the road to look at his friend. "You okay? You've been a lot spacey-er than usual, which is really kind of saying something."

Blaine shakes his head, kind of unwilling to share his thoughts on Kurt even with Sebastian, who has been there through all of Blaine's previous crushes (not that Kurt is a crush, no, Blaine's just a teenager and Kurt is attractive and gay and _ugh_, okay, maybe it's a crush – just a _little _one though, he swears).

"Just tired, is all."

Sebastian nods slowly, pulling into the store's parking lot and not saying a word until he's parked and the car is off. "You're _sure_? You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

Blaine smiles, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I know, Seb. Like I said, I'm just tired. This whole not sleeping this is kind of taking its toll on me."

Frowning, Sebastian unbuckles his seatbelt and reaches over to squeeze Blaine's hand. He pulls away quickly, but with a reassuring grin brightening his features. "You'll get through it, B. Ever considered seeing a doctor? Or even just telling your mom about it?"

As they start walking towards the store's entrance, Blaine rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "You know my mom. She'd start freaking out for no apparent reason, and would probably have a doctor flown all the way in from California or New York – _just _to tell me that I'm an insomniac, which is knowledge that I'm already very well aware of."

"Yah, but I mean, isn't there like…"

Sebastian trails off suddenly, staring pointedly at something hanging above them as they make their way into the store.

Following his gaze, Blaine's stomach does an uneasy flip.

_Mistletoe_.

Technically, this won't be the first time they've kissed. It's happened plenty of times before – at parties when they were dared to and during sleepovers when they were punch drunk and curious.

It's just that this is _different_.

Sebastian turns to face him, a sparkle in his eye that Blaine would otherwise roll his eyes at. "We don't have…"

But Blaine cuts him off, pushing their mouths together in a simple and chaste little peck of a kiss. No tongue, no teeth, and no touching of any sort besides that of their mouths.

It's nice, and Sebastian tastes like cherries, but that's all Blaine can get out of it.

One of the women behind the counter claps her hands over her mouth and squeals excitedly.

"Well, let's shop, shall we?" Blaine asks, grinning widely and stepping nonchalantly into the store.

Sebastian's eyes flutter open. "Uhm, y-yah. Let's."

* * *

><p>Christmas is Kurt's favorite time of year.<p>

Hot chocolate, bulky sweaters, cuddling (though he's only ever done that with girls, so it doesn't count as much as it probably should), lights, snow, decorating the tree, exchanging presents, singing corny little Christmas songs in glee club…

He loves it, and it's even more exciting this year because he gets to share some of the experience with Blaine.

It's three days before the actually holiday itself hits, and Kurt is sitting at their usual spot in the _Lima Bean_, watching snow fall outside while sipping at his hot chocolate.

He has no idea that Blaine is already inside, watching him with wide, awestruck eyes before shaking his head and walking over, thinking it no time to get caught up in a crush that will surely never go anywhere.

_We're just friends, Anderson. Get that through your head._

"Hey there, stranger," he greets warmly, sitting across from Kurt and setting a carefully wrapped present on the table.

Kurt's smile is bright and energetic, and Blaine vaguely remembers Kurt telling him over one of their late-night phone conversations that December always had him in a considerably better mood than during the rest of the year. "Hey yourself." He, too, reaches to snatch a package from under his chair, wrapped in glittery red paper and tied up with an artfully tied silver ribbon.

They hadn't decided to buy each other presents this year, and had in fact protested against the idea, but it seems they've both broken their own decision.

Blaine raises his eyebrows. "You didn't have to – "

"Hush," Kurt protests, pushing the package towards his friend. "No use in saying I didn't have to when I already did."

Blaine's mouth curls into a soft, slightly shy smile as he nudges his own package across the table. "Fine, fine. It's not…much so don't…"

Kurt hushes him again. "Whatever it is will be perfect, now _shush_."

Blaine swallows, shakes his head a tiny bit, and starts working on unwrapping the present, careful not to actually rip the paper because he's always been a little OCD about such things.

Across from him, Kurt rips at the paper and rolls his eyes at Blaine, but with a small smile as he sets to opening the white box his actual present lies in.

When he sees what lies inside, folded carefully and pressed into neatly layered tissue paper, his heart jumps into his throat and he can't breathe. "Blaine…"

Holding his Christmas-themed bowtie, Blaine looks up at Kurt with a stupidly brilliant grin, only to have it fade when he mistakes Kurt's shock for disappointment. "Oh, y-you don't like it? I'm…I'm so sorry, Kurt…"

"Shut up," Kurt whispers, glancing at Blaine quickly before turning his focus back to the present sitting before him.

_A deep blue scarf – hand-knitted, according to the tag – with white stripes looping around the ends._

Kurt had long since forgotten their stop at that scarf rack during their impromptu shopping trip, though seeing the garment now rekindles the need to gush over how perfect it is.

Fingers shaking just a little, he reaches into the box and pulls it out, running his fingers over the material while physically unable to stop the smile curling across his mouth. "You remembered. You actually _remembered_."

Blaine shifts, clearly not sure as to what Kurt's emotions actually are. "Yah, of course I did." _Like I'd ever forget._

"Blaine it's…" He swallows hard and looks across the table, at the boy in the Dalton Academy blazer. At the boy he never thought he'd ever meet, let alone befriend, let alone _fall for_.

There's no denying it now, not with this scarf and Blaine's shy smile and Blaine's comforting words and their late-night phone conversations and their coffee dates that aren't actually dates…

"I love it," he says quietly.

And he's not just talking about the scarf.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

Face relaxing in relief, Blaine smiles pleasantly and takes a quick sip of coffee. "I love your present, too." His voice is warm and light as he turns the simple bowtie – speckled in miniature Christmas trees – over in his hands. "Like, I _really _love it. Bowties are kind of my thing."

Kurt just nods, still kind of caught in the weight of his realization.

Blaine looks up and reaches across the table to give Kurt's hand a quick squeeze, barely fighting the urge to sigh in relief at the contact. It feels nice – Kurt's skin on his.

"I have a feeling this Christmas is gonna _rock_," Blaine says with a wide grin.

And Kurt can hardly help it when he laughs, although he's internally missing the weight of Blaine's hand atop his own. "Yah, I can agree with that statement."

They sip their coffee slowly then, doing everything in their power to keep the conversation going for as long as it can.

With Christmas coming up later in the week, they know they'll hardly have any time to talk, let alone actually be with each other. They want to savor this while it lasts.

They laugh and talk quietly over anything and everything, ranging quickly from school to family plans.

Blaine plans on spending both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at his grandparent's house, about which he raves almost endlessly about his grandmother's chocolate-chip cookies. "Seriously, Kurt, I'm going to have to save you some. They are _literally _the best thing I've ever tasted."

Kurt is going to spend those two days quietly, helping Carole cook big dinners for both nights while Finn's grandparents stay over until sometime after New Year's. (His own grandparents live down in Florida and refuse to return to Ohio, with its cold temperatures and, god forbid, _snow.)_

"Which is something I'll never understand," Kurt comments with an eye roll. "The snow is probably my favorite part about this time of year."

"Agreed," Blaine says with a quick and eager nod. "I love waking up to a world of white."

And, unbeknownst to each other, they're both thinking the same thing.

_We could have been made for each other._

Things are moving smoothly, though at a slow pace. Blaine wants to capture the moment and keep it going well into the night, especially after something he doesn't see or understand ruins it.

Eyes catching on something over his shoulder, Kurt's jaw falls slack and his pupils blow wide in what Blaine can only describe as _fear_.

"Kurt? What's wrong?"

He makes to turn around, but Kurt stops him by leaning across the table and slipping a finger across his bottom lip.

The world stops moving.

Fear replaced with shock, Kurt pulls his finger away slowly. "Uh, th-there was something on your lip…"

Blaine reaches up to brush his own thumb across the soft flesh, brain very close to short-circuiting. _Kurt did…he had been __**so close**__…_

He's just about to flip the table and steal Kurt's mouth in a kiss when the other boy stands up very suddenly, keeping his eyes glued to the table. "C-can we go? I mean, can…can you walk me out? I need to…I need to go home."

_Wait, what?_

"Kurt…"

"I-I'm sorry, Blaine, but something came up and…"

Blaine stands up slowly, wondering how this whole thing fell out of control but not willing to dwell on it for Kurt's sake. Though Blaine doesn't know what, something has spooked his friend, and he doesn't like it.

"Of course I'll walk you out."

Kurt moves quickly to his side, eyes still glued to the floor and body stiff.

Without putting much thought into the action, Blaine rests his hand on the small of Kurt's back, probably a little more protective than he should be, but too confused and high on the thrill of the touch to care.

He doesn't see Dave Karofsky standing in line or notice the way his eyes trail up the length of Kurt's body.

And he definitely doesn't see the cold stare he's given in response to his hand on Kurt's back.

* * *

><p>True to his word, Blaine walks Kurt out to his car.<p>

He slips his hand away with a rueful smile.

"Thank you," Kurt whispers quietly.

Blaine watches him for a second. He's never been very good at reading people, but it's clear to see just how upset Kurt is. His eyes are downcast and his back is just a little too straight, and he keeps playing with the edges of the wrapping paper he'd forgotten to throw away.

"Hey," Blaine intones, taking a step closer. Kurt's body responds to their proximity, loosening up enough that his shoulders sag and he lets out a quiet sigh of relief. "Wanna tell me what happened back there?"

A bitter smile pulls at Kurt's mouth. "Just…jumpy, I guess. One of the guys in there…he…he looked like one of the guys that beat me up back in that alley."

Understanding twists in Blaine's stomach. "Oh, Kurt – "

"Don't," Kurt says suddenly, although nod unkindly. He looks down at Blaine and his eyes warm a bit. "I don't want to think about it anymore than I already have to."

Wanting to say more but knowing that there's nothing he can, Blaine squeezes Kurt's arm and lets his hand linger for a bit longer than necessary. "You don't to go through any of this alone, okay? I'll always be here. And…I mean, I know what it's like. I've been there, too."

Kurt wants to ask more, but now isn't the time.

He looks down at his scarf and twists the yarn around his hands. "I really do love my present. It's perfect."

Blaine chuckles and plucks his bowtie out of his jacket pocket. "We do pretty great together, huh?"

_Yes, yes, we do._

Now, if their story had been different – if they had met under different, happier circumstances, this would have been the part where they kissed. In fact, they probably would have already been together, ducking behind Kurt's car to snag a last few kisses before the holiday inevitably tore them apart for a week or two.

But indeed, Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson had met under the worst of circumstances, and fate was not on their side – at least not in that moment.

Later, though, if they were lucky.

Kurt breaks, though, and _does _pull Blaine into a bone-crushing hug, melting fully into the press of the other boy's body against his own.

The embrace probably lasts a bit longer than it should, but they're both too caught up to notice, and it's not like they both aren't enjoying it. Blaine buries his head in Kurt's neck, inhaling the sweet, spicy scent of cinnamon and something a little darker that he can't quite place.

_If things were different…_

There's a soft layer of snow forming around them, blanketed gradually by the fat, puffy flakes falling from the sky.

There's an ache in Kurt's bones, but he ignores it and pulls back.

"Have a nice Christmas, Blaine."

"You too, Kurt."

And then Kurt gets into his car while Blaine goes into his, and they drive away.

* * *

><p>Admittedly, Karfosky had gotten to Kurt a lot more than he'd let on (and he still feels guilty for not telling Blaine, but he was afraid of what the other man's reaction might have been).<p>

Karofsky had actually _winked_ at Kurt.

Re-living it actually sends chills down Kurt's spine, and it's only with his well-trained sense of self-control that he's able to keep himself from crying on the ride home.

Luckily, his father is in the garage and Carole is still at work, and Finn is sleeping soundly on the couch.

He runs up to his room, closes the door quietly, and slides down until he's curled up on the floor.

It takes a lot of deep, even breaths, but he's eventually able to pull himself together.

_Karofsky can't touch you. Not here, not now._

He looks down at his scarf, and a sweet warmth blossoms comfortably in his chest.

And for the first time in weeks, Kurt Hummel feels well and truly _safe._


End file.
